Ipswich host high flying Oxford as the pressure increases on Paul Lambert

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Ipswich will welcome Oxford to Portman Road on Saturday, as Lambert desperately tries to salvage the Blues’ season. Oxford have won nine of their last ten games and will look to extend their sensational form against a weak Ipswich side.

Paul Lambert has come under fire yet again this week after his side were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Northampton during the week. The Tractor Boys failed to create anything throughout the game, with their only shot on target not coming until after the 70th minute.

Lambert has played passive football throughout the season, with Town really lacking goals during the campaign so far, something that has really damaged the Suffolk side in recent weeks. Ipswich sit 11th in the table, however, have registered the sixth-worst goalscoring record in League One this season, having netted only 30 goals in their 26 games.

One player hoping to improve the Ipswich goalscoring nightmare will be January signing Troy Parrott. The Irishman has now played three games for Lambert and is yet to net his first goal for the Blues, even with the forward becoming a bright spark in his appearances prior to the Northampton draw.

Against the Cobblers, Parrott cut a frustrated figure throughout the game as he struggled for any good service, with the 19-year-old looking isolated upfront until James Norwood was subbed on late in the game.

Contrary to the awful Ipswich form recently, Oxford have had the best results of anyone in the league as of late. Other than a slip up against Doncaster at the beginning of February, the U’s haven’t put a foot wrong in the league this year and have more than compensated for the poor start to the season that they had.

The Yellows will also be encouraged by the potential return of forward Elliot Lee on Saturday who arrived on loan from Luton at the end of the January transfer window:

“Elliot joined in training today and will be available” – Karl Robinson

Although their league form has been immaculate of late, Oxford missed out on a potential Wembley final in midweek as they lost to League Two side Tranmere in the Papa John’s Trophy Semi-Final. This blip in form will fill Ipswich with confidence that they can cause an upset against a strong side this weekend as Lambert desperately attempts to save his job.

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