When Ipswich host Arsenal on Sunday it will be one day short of 23 years since, on a sun-dappled afternoon at Highbury, a hefty nail was hammered into the Suffolk side’s relegation coffin. Arsenal were en route to a dazzling league title and their 2-0 victory was routine; with four games left George Burley’s team, dejected and in freefall, were gazing into the abyss. After tumbling down it, they did not return until this season.
This time around Portman Road will be the stage and Arsenal, if not too distracted by a golden opportunity to rule Europe, may apply the final blow. Ipswich will go down this weekend if they fail to win and West Ham and Wolves both take three points. They are 14 points shy of safety with six matches remaining and, on the face of things, their first top-flight campaign for more than two decades, has brought unbridled misery.
