Ipswich vs Norwich: Spotlight on Nunez as Derby Day Arrives
The sold-out match kicks off at 12 pm today at Portman Road.
East Anglia’s biggest football rivalry takes centre stage on Sunday as Ipswich Town host Norwich City at Portman Road.
The historic Derby, often referred to as one of the fiercest in English football, carries huge significance for both sets of fans; pride, bragging rights, and local dominance are all on the line. With both sides aiming to make a statement early in the season, the atmosphere is set to be electric.
The game kicks off at 12 pm today at Portman Road. The fixture is sold out, with a capacity crowd of just under 30,000 people due to attend.
What are fans thinking ahead of the match
But surrounding the build-up, talks of Marcelino Núñez have dominated, and whether he’ll feature in the match. The midfielder’s move has added extra spice to an already heated rivalry, with fans on both sides braced for a fiery reception.
Rich, who runs the Suffolk Crunch YouTube channel, said:
“With Núñez's transfer, I think it's just going to turn the dial up a few more notches. I don’t think, at this precise moment, he'll start. You never know with injuries, but I think if everyone’s fit, he’s probably going to come off the bench, and he’s going to get obviously a hot reception from their fans.”
Richard Woodward, from the Blue Monday Podcast, agreed that all eyes will be on the Chilean midfielder.
“It’s going to be fascinating to see whether Marcelino Núñez starts the game. Either way, he’s going to get a hero’s welcome from Portman Road, and a small portion of the away end, I’m sure, will be giving him plenty of abuse. But if he could repeat his trick of scoring the winning goal, blimey!”
With both sides pushing for bragging rights, the game promises high drama, fierce rivalry and, for Núñez, a return to the spotlight in the most intense way possible.
More information about the match, safety and travel can be found here.