Form does not always count for much in derby matches but recent results suggest Ipswich Town will find it a tough task to win Sunday's East Anglian grudge match.

The Blues' last five matches have been a sequence of victories and defeats.

It started with a 3-1 defeat to a classy Wigan Athletic side at Portman Road and Ipswich went on to beat struggling Bradford City by the same score the next week, before losing 4-2 to Burnley at Turf Moor.

Town followed it up with an accomplished defensive display in a 2-0 win over Preston North End, but went down to Stoke City on Tuesday, in which defensive mistakes contributed again.

It meant they slipped down to sixth position.

Table-topping Norwich City were in action against second placed West Bromwich Albion in mid-week, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

The Canaries drew 1-1 with West Ham United last Saturday, which came after three successive victories.

Darren Bent and Shefki Kuqi may start again while Pablo Counago is struggling to find the back of the net.

Published Friday March 5, 2004

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