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Colchester United will welcome Ipswich Town U21s to JobServe Community Stadium on Tuesday in both teams' final EFL Trophy game of the group stage.
The two sides have already been eliminated, with Colchester in third place with one point and the visitors last in fourth with no points, so their next clash will be a battle against finishing last.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Colchester United vs Ipswich Town U21 key stats
- Ipswich Town U21s have conceded first in four of their last six games.
- Ipswich Town U21s have failed to score in four of their past nine away matches.
- Ipswich Town U21s have conceded at least three goals in five of their nine most recent away fixtures.
Colchester United vs Ipswich Town U21 preview: A battle against last place
Colchester United vs Ipswich Town U21 — Tale of the Tape
| Colchester United | vs | Ipswich Town U21 |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Position (Group Stage) | 4th |
| 1 | Points | 0 |
| 2 | Goals For | 1 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 10 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| N/A | Home / Away Rank | N/A |
Colchester's season has been disappointing, with the club currently second last in League Two in 23rd, with the team accumulating just 12 points from 13 league fixtures.
The hosts' campaign is not irrecoverable given they are level on points with 22nd-placed Rotherham United, while just three points separate them from 18th-placed Oldham Athletic.
However, it would be understandable if boss Danny Cowley did not view the EFL Trophy as a top priority, especially as his team cannot finish in the top two of their group due to being four points from second-placed Luton Town.
It would be surprising if any starters featured on Tuesday, so expect the likes of Ben Perry to appear in midfield.
Ipswich Town U21s come into Tuesday's clash on the back of a 5-0 win against Aldershot Town on November 3 in the National League Cup, though they have lost three of their last five games in all competitions.
The visitors currently have zero points in the EFL Trophy, with the team having suffered a 6-0 defeat against Luton Town and a 4-1 loss against Peterborough United.
Boss John McGreal will hope for improvement from his side in the Premier League 2 given the Tractor Boys find themselves in 23rd place with six points, though it should be noted that they have played just four games.
While he did not score against Peterborough last time out in the EFL Trophy on October 6, striker James Mauge could be used once again as Ipswich's focal point.
Colchester United vs Ipswich Town U21 form guide & betting tips
| Colchester United | vs | Ipswich Town U21 |
|---|---|---|
LD |
Form | LL |
| 1 | Points | 0 |
| N/A | Form Table | N/A |
| 2 | Goals For | 1 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 10 |
DDLLW |
Form (All Comps) | LWLLW |
Whispers predicts: Colchester United 3-0 Ipswich Town U21
It should not come as a surprise to see the bookmakers favour a home win, with a Colchester victory priced at 4/9 (1.44).
Ipswich Town have conceded first in four of their last six games, and that could make a bet of Colchester United to Score First at 4/9 (1.44) the way to go.
Considering Ipswich Town U21s have conceded at least three goals in five of their nine most recent away fixtures, it would make sense to predict Over 2.5 Goals for Colchester United at 10/11 (1.91).
Ipswich Town U21s have failed to score in four of their past nine away matches, so it may be worthwhile to back Under 0.5 Goals for Ipswich Town U21s at 5/2 (3.5).
> Colchester United to Score First at 4/9 (1.44) | Likelihood: High
> Over 2.5 Goals for Colchester United at 10/11 (1.91) | Likelihood: Medium
> Under 0.5 Goals for Ipswich Town U21s at 5/2 (3.5) | Likelihood: Low