Southampton visit Portman Road in one of the biggest matches of the Championship season so far on Easter Monday.

The hosts are currently second in the table, with Southampton trailing the top three – but with games in hand.

Ipswich rode their luck against Blackburn Rovers but ultimately emerged triumphant on Good Friday – Conor Chaplin’s early strike proved decisive for Ipswich with Aynsley Pears’ error allowed the ball to squirm into the net.

Meanwhile, Southampton will rue their performance against Middlesbrough on Friday – Russell Martin’s side only managed a draw which have dented their hopes of challenging for a top-two place.

However, Southampton still head to Portman Road, harbouring ambitions of cracking the Championship’s top two spots, even if their hopes are far more fanciful at this point.

After ending February with a humbling four defeats from five games in the league, Russell Martin’s side have rediscovered their form to take seven points from a possible nine during their Championship games in March.

They are still ten points behind second-placed Ipswich and in with a chance for the play-offs. However, the visitors will hope for a good result tonight to relaunch their hopes of automatic qualification into the Premier League.

Speaking ahead of their visit to Portman Road, Southampton manager Russell Martin said; “I think the pressure can work one of two ways.

“You either go into the game and you have that feeling of heavy legs and butterflies in your stomach and it completely takes over and you can’t quite get to that level you need.

“Or you feel it all and you’re able to get there and play the game in a special and brilliant way. I always loved the games way more when they had something on it.

“It was just my personality as a player. I loved the big occasions. I’m pretty sure we have a lot of players who will feel the same.

“I look back at the Leeds game at home which we came through brilliantly. We have to do the same again on Monday.”

Full team news on the way shortly.