+1.01 points a game is the venue form gap, in Manchester City's favour: Manchester City takes 2.45 a game at home over the last two seasons, Ipswich Town 1.44 away.
Manchester City: 44 league matches in the bank, 6 from this season and the rest from last season. Ipswich Town: 50 league matches in the bank, 6 from this season and the rest from last season in the Championship.
The question this step asks
Step two is HOME AND AWAY FORM -- the home side judged on its home record, the away side on its away record, because those are the records that will be on the pitch. The last five reach back into last season where this season is too young to answer, and say so.
The two sides
Manchester City -- at home
Its record at the relevant venue
This season at home: won 3, drew 0, lost 0 of 3, scoring 8 and conceding 4. Last season at home: won 14, drew 3, lost 2 of 19, scoring 45 and conceding 14 -- 2.37 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Liverpool 3-0 away; beat Sunderland 5-3 at home; beat Manchester United 1-0 away; beat Coventry City 1-0 at home; beat Crystal Palace 4-1 away.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 3 different managers took its 44 matches with one recorded (37, 6, 1 apiece), most recently Enzo Maresca with 6. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Ipswich Town -- away
Its record at the relevant venue
This season away: won 1, drew 0, lost 2 of 3, scoring 5 and conceding 8. Last season away in the Championship: won 9, drew 6, lost 7 of 22, scoring 36 and conceding 29 -- 1.50 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Fulham 2-1 at home; lost to Everton 0-1 away; beat Crystal Palace 3-2 away; lost to Liverpool 0-2 at home; lost to Manchester United 2-5 away.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 2 different managers took its 37 matches with one recorded (31, 6 apiece), most recently Gary O'Neil with 6. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Built 00:05 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.