The third-placed Blues will hope to return to winning ways in our final action of 2024 – a Monday night under the Portman Road floodlights.

The weekday time slot is a foretaste of the succession of non-weekend league fixtures at Stamford Bridge throughout January and February.

Town’s atmospheric Suffolk home is not the fortress it was during last season’s promotion charge – in which they suffered a single loss.

Approaching the mid-point, the 19th-placed Tractor Boys are yet to get a home win over the line, with draws accounting for their four points from a possible 27.

In fact, away successes at Tottenham and relegation rivals Wolves are the biggest results of the season for Kieran McKenna’s side.

Across the capital the day before, Enzo Maresca’s men suffered a rare home league defeat but stand third in the table and can take advantage of top-four rivals the Gunners not playing till New Year’s Day.

Following recent Chelsea victories at Leicester and Southampton, Ipswich are the last of the three promoted clubs to host the Blues.

Since the start of 2020/21, Chelsea have won nine of our 14 games away to Premier League newcomers, drawing four and losing one.

The Blues still have the best away record in the division, claiming 20 of the 27 points on offer on the road. However, we have not won at Ipswich since the Premier League launched in 1992/93, drawing three times and losing once.

Team news

For the first time since October, Maresca has to rouse his team after a league loss, and he has several selection issues to resolve.

Chelsea controlled much of the game and saw Bernd Leno make two brilliant stops, while Cole Palmer’s slalom and stroked finish was worth three points anytime, anywhere – but rapid transitions and defensive lapses put paid to that haul.

Fulham’s usual golden 20 minutes coincided with game-changing substitutes, and they bettered the Blues on passing accuracy as we finished with our second-lowest possession percentage of the campaign.

The Italian felt Nico Jackson deserved a rest after another impressive all-round display, but allowed his wingers to play the full 90-plus minutes, so there could be changes in those areas against Ipswich.

Noni Madueke was absent from the matchday squad and others who remained benched such as Joao Felix and Tyrique George could be involved against the relegation-threatened hosts.

Jackson and goalie Robert Sanchez have been cautioned four times but will avoid sanctions if they see out this 19th match, after which the threat of suspension for five yellows recedes.

Next, players must avoid accumulating ten cards before the final whistle of their club’s 32nd Premier League outing.

Reece James and Romeo Lavia are closer to a return from injury than Benoit Badiashile and Wes Fofana.

Chelsea vs Ipswich – the history

This is our first league meeting at Portman Road since a 0-0 in April 2002, in which Carlo Cudicini brilliantly tipped over Marcus Bent’s penalty to maintain Chelsea’s record of just one loss on the banks of the Orwell since 1985.

The Blues made a habit of scoring early at the home of the Tractor Boys. In November 1985, Kerry Dixon volleyed in after two minutes from a Pat Nevin header, and strike partner David Speedie poked home eight minutes later for a 2-0 win. That remains our most recent top-flight win there.

Boxing Day 2000 brought similar speedy work by the Londoners, this time a brace for Eidur Gudjohnsen inside 20 minutes, but James Scowcroft before the break and Marcus Stewart inside the last ten claimed a share of the points for the hosts.

The last time the pair met in any competition was round three of the FA Cup in 2011 at the Bridge. The Evening Standard’s headline ‘Rampant Chelsea Hammer Ipswich’ sums up a great day for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who won 7-0 with braces bagged by Frank Lampard and Daniel Sturridge.

Know this…

Cole Palmer’s sublime opener on Thursday was his 12th goal of the season and 26th of 2024 – breaking Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s previous club record of 25 top-flight strikes over a calendar year, set in 2001.

Didier Drogba managed 22 in 2010, Diego Costa 21 in 2016 and Frank Lampard 20 in 2005.

Premier League Top Four – next three matches

Fulham’s Boxing Day win was only their third ever at Stamford Bridge, and the first in the top flight since March 1964 – six decades ago.

Ipswich climbed back to the Premier League last season after back-to-back promotions, and have a quartet of current players who have scored at all four levels of English football.

On 27 December 1971, Dave Webb walked out before kick-off against Ipswich, knelt down in front of the Shed and pretended to pray. No regular goalkeepers were available so the utility player donned the gloves for the day, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 win.

Legendary coach Sir Bobby Robson was an opposition scout for Chelsea in December 1968, watching Ipswich play at home. He was approached by a Town director and became manager a few days later, staying at Portman Road for 13 seasons, winning the FA Cup and UEFA Cup.