Manchester United must respond after their setback: Manchester United vs Ipswich prediction
The second-round Premier League match between Manchester United and Ipswich will take place on 30 August at Old Trafford. The hosts made a surprising start to the season with a 2-0 defeat to Hull City, while the newly promoted side beat Sunderland 2-1 and have already followed that up with a League Cup victory.
Manchester United: setback after a strong finish to last season
Michael Carrick enjoyed an excellent second half of last season, winning 12 of the final 17 matches and guiding the team to third place. However, the new campaign began in disastrous fashion: United registered 21 shots against Hull but failed to turn their attacking volume into clear-cut chances and suffered their first opening-round Premier League defeat to a newly promoted side.
The squad was strengthened over the summer with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Karl Darlow and Carlos Baleba, although the latter is currently injured. Carrick could make changes to the starting line-up, with Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo pushing for places from the first whistle.
Ipswich: confident return to the top flight
Gary O'Neil's side began with a 2-1 victory over Sunderland, with Jack Clarke scoring the winner in the 90th minute. For a club that had to wait until November for its first victory during its previous spell in the Premier League, the result provided an important psychological boost.
Ipswich also beat Leicester 3-1 in the League Cup in midweek, with Marcelino Núñez scoring twice. The club spent more than £100 million on reinforcements during the summer and are already showing that they have ambitions beyond simply fighting for survival.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Manchester United lost 2-0 to Hull City despite registering 21 shots.
- Ipswich have won both of their first competitive matches of the season.
- United are unbeaten against Ipswich in their last eight head-to-head meetings at Old Trafford.
The hosts should respond at home: Manchester United vs Ipswich prediction
Ipswich have already shown that they can cause problems for Premier League opponents and, after two consecutive victories, they are unlikely to arrive at Old Trafford simply looking to defend. However, United still have a clear advantage in terms of squad quality and individual ability.
The pressure on Carrick's side will be high after their opening-round defeat, while home advantage should help them play with greater aggression. Ipswich are certainly capable of scoring in their current form, though, so a comfortable victory should not be expected.
