Preview: Amorim time! United to put Ipswich into relegation zone? United to start finding their feet this season? A new era has arrived at Old Trafford!

Ipswich Town -v- Manchester United

Premier League

Portman Road, Ipswich

Sunday 24 November 2024, KO 16:30 GMT

Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon as they head to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town. It is another new era for United who have a new manager, Ruben Amorim. Ruud van Nistelrooy led United in four matches and is undefeated following the sacking of Erik ten Hag at the end of October.

United need to start getting some good results now that the all of the international matches are done for 2024 and we head into the busy festive period where United will play 11 matches between now and the end of the year. United will feature in the Premier League, Carabao Cup and the UEFA Europa League in the coming weeks.

United, at the time of writing, sit in 13th place in the Premier League with just 15 points from 11 matches this season. Ipswich sit in 17th place in the Premier League with eight points from 11 matches, which makes their current spell in the English top flight dangerous as they sit just above the relegation zone.

United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists

Leicester 3-0 W, PAOK 2-0 W, Chelsea 1-1 D, Leicester 5-2 W, West Ham 2-1 L, Fenerbahçe 1-1 D

Goals: 7 – Alejandro Garnacho, 4 – Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, 3 – Amad, Casemiro, 2 – Rasmus Hojlund, 1 – Antony, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Own Goal, Joshua Zirkzee

Assists: 7 – Bruno Fernandes, 4 – Alejandro Garnacho, 3 – Christian Eriksen, Marcus Rashford, 2 – Amad, Diogo Dalot, Joshua Zirkzee, 1 – Noussair Mazraoui

Ipswich – Form, Goals Scored & Assists

Spurs 2-1 W, Leicester 1-1 D, Brentford 4-3 L, Everton 2-0 L, West Ham 4-1 L, Villa 2-2 D

Goals: 6 – Liam Delap, 3 – Sammie Szmodics, 1 – Ali Ibrahim Al-Hamadi, Conor Chaplin, Leif Davis, George Hirst, Sam Morsy

Assists: 2 – Leif Davis, 1 – Cameron Burgess, Conor Chaplin, Jack Clarke, Liam Delap, George Hirst, Omari Hutchinson, Ben Johnson, Sam Morsy, Conor Townsend

Previous Meetings & Connections

United and Ipswich have met 10 times in the Premier League. United have won five times, drawn three times and lost two times. United scored 23 goals against Ipswich, winning no penalties. Ipswich scored eight goals against United, winning no penalties. It has been 22 years since they last met in the Premier League.

United have the better form against Ipswich and that 9-0 thrashing in the Premier League is the match that many will look back on with Andy Cole scoring five goals, Mark Hughes scoring a brace with Roy Keane and Paul Ince also getting on the scoresheet. United might even put in a performance like that under Amorim?

Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Frederic Veseli, Reece Brown, Mike Clegg, Lee Martin, Tom Lawrence, David Healy, Danny Simpson and Danny Higginbotham have all played for United and Ipswich during their careers, some of them at academy level which had been loaned to Ipswich.

Team News

United: United still have some injury problems but it is getting better for United who could see a number of players return to action in the coming week or so. To have a fully fit squad will be great for Amorim to start his era at the Old Trafford club but getting the better of their opposition is the main thing that I would like to see.

Ruled Out: Kobbie Mainoo (thigh), Leny Yoro (ankle/foot), Harry Maguire (calf/shin/heel), Victor Lindelof (groin/hip/pelvic) and Luke Shaw (calf/shin/heel)

Suspended: None

Close to Returning: Lisandro Martinez (lower back) and Tyrell Malacia (knee)

Ipswich: The Norfolk club have many injury problems ahead of the visit of United on Sunday. It is likely to cause some problems for former United coach Kieran McKenna, but I am sure he will do his best as he looks to face United for the first time as an opposition manager. It is likely that he could lose this match too.

Ruled Out: Chiedozie Ogbene (calf/shin/heel), Jacob Greaves (thigh), Jack Taylor (other) and Janoi Donacien (ankle/foot)

Suspended: None

Close to Returning: Wesley Burns (other) and Nathan Broadhead (groin/hip/pelvic)

Predicted United Starting XI – 4-2-3-1

Onana;

Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot;

Casemiro, Ugarte;

Amad, Fernandes, Rashford;

Hojlund

Predicted Ipswich Starting XI – 4-2-3-1

Muric;

Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis;

Morsy, Cajuste;

Johnson, Hutchinson, Szmodics;

Delap

History, training and the lead up to the big match

United once beat Ipswich 9-0 in the Premier League and there have only been six matches played between the two sides since that match at Old Trafford in March 1995 – almost 30 years ago. United have won four of those six matches, drawing once and losing once. Amorim will need to get this team firing as the season is not over yet.

Under Van Nistelrooy, United played a good game but there were still visible holes in the development of the squad, which is something the new manager will need to overcome. It has been said that Amorim has demanded more speed, intensity and dynamic thinking during training sessions, which is great to hear.

United need to shorten the recovery times when the ball is lost and improve the link between physical conditioning and mental sharpness. It really sounds like United now have a manager who will look at all the intricate details to hone on the best abilities of each player in the squad, recruiting in the areas that fall short of his expectations.

Ipswich Town 0-5 Manchester United

Written by Paul