All eyes on Ruben Amorim
The trip to Portman road marks Ruben Amorim’s first match as Manchester United manager. The Portuguese officially took over the reigns at Old Trafford at the start of the International Break but will have had his eyes on this clash ever since his move from Sporting CP was announced on November 1st. Since the announcement Amorim has overseen an emphatic victory for his former side over his new neighbours Manchester City, a thumping 4-1 Champions League win in which Victor Gyökeres scored a hat trick. The manner of the victory, along with Amorim’s displayed charisma has only served to excite Manchester United fans ahead of his arrival. The aforementioned Swedish striker is one name who has been mooted as a candidate to follow to Manchester, however such a move seems unlikely until the Summer. For the time being the new manager must quickly find a way to get his side firing, the current Carrington strikers have so far flattered to deceive. Neither Joshua Zirkzee nor Rasmus Højlund have inspired confidence, with only two league goals between them, from a combined expected goals value of 3.7. Hope and responsibility will rest on Amorim’s compatriot Bruno Fernandes who seemed to regain his goalscoring touch in the last outing v Leicester City, where he scored his second of the season and had another effort turned into the net by the opposing defender.
Expected Lineups
Predicted Ipswich Town Lineup
Ipswich Town's predicted lineup remains unchanged from their first Premier League win of the season at Spurs. A key decision for Kieran McKenna lies in midfield, where Jens Cajuste, fresh off an impressive showing, could retain his place over Kalvin Phillips. Leading the attack is 21-year-old Liam Delap, who has adapted seamlessly to top-flight football. The former Manchester City youth player has been in scintillating form and will look to trouble Manchester United’s backline. Delap's physicality and aerial prowess will be pivotal, particularly in his likely duel with Lisandro Martínez, as Ipswich aim to build on their momentum.
Predicted Manchester United Lineup
Ruben Amorim has used the international break to implement his system with the players available to him, and there’s cautious optimism surrounding the fitness of some key returnees. Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, and Kobbie Mainoo have all returned to training, with Yoro and Shaw slotting in as centre-backs during sessions and Mainoo operating in the pivot alongside Casemiro. Mainoo, having been out for the shortest period, may have an opportunity to feature on Sunday, especially with Manuel Ugarte only recently returning from international duty in South America. However, Amorim may opt for caution and avoid rushing Mainoo back into the starting XI during such a crucial period of fixtures.
Lisandro Martínez's withdrawal from Argentina duty raises doubts about his availability, but the hope is that this break has allowed him to recover and be ready for action. In attack, Bruno Fernandes is a guaranteed starter in one of the supporting roles behind Marcus Rashford, but the other slot appears up for grabs. Amad Diallo’s recent form—contributing an assist against Leicester and netting two goals in a strong display against PAOK—makes him a likely candidate. Mason Mount has also been praised by Amorim for his movement in training, but the lack of minutes in recent games may work against him.
Manuel Ugarte, despite scoring a late winner for Uruguay against Colombia, played 90 minutes against Brazil just days ago, potentially increasing the chances of Mainoo starting if deemed fit. Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes, who sat out Portugal's second game of the break, and Diogo Dalot, who played just nine minutes in the second match, should both be relatively fresh and ready to play pivotal roles in what promises to be a critical match for United.
Form Guide
Ipswich Town's last five games paint a revealing picture of their recent form and progress in the Premier League. Their first win of the season came just before the international break in a surprising 2-1 triumph away at Tottenham. Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap were the scorers on a night where Ipswich outperformed Spurs' xG (1.62 to 1.55), showcasing an efficient and resolute display that had been missing in prior matches. This result was particularly notable for its defensive improvement compared to earlier away outings at Brentford and West Ham, where Ipswich struggled, conceding a combined 8 goals as the opposition created substantial chances. The Tottenham win provided a morale boost, marking a turning point in a season that had so far been defined by hard-fought draws. Delap has been a focal point in attack, with 3 goals in the last five games, while Szmodics continues to be a key threat, leading the xG tally for the same period with 1.45. Delap’s 8 shots underline his willingness to test defences, but Szmodics' sharpness has proven equally vital. Despite conceding 12 goals across these five games, much of the damage was concentrated in those tough away fixtures, suggesting a side gradually finding its feet. With five draws alongside their solitary win, Ipswich has shown resilience, avoiding defeat more often than succumbing to it (5 losses, 5 draws, 1 win). This mix of determination and a growing attacking presence has lifted Kieran McKenna’s men out of the relegation zone, offering hope for further improvement in the weeks ahead.
Ipswich Home Form
Ipswich Town's home form at Portman Road has been a mixed bag, with only four goals scored all season, three of which have come from Liam Delap. Impressively, Delap has netted these from just 0.98 xG, highlighting his clinical edge, but the team has struggled to capitalise on other opportunities. Missed chances from others underline the pressing need for more contributors in front of goal if Ipswich are to maintain their Premier League status. Aston Villa's visit remains the only occasion Ipswich outperformed their opponents’ xG, resulting in a hard-fought 2-2 draw. Meanwhile, the recent draw against Leicester was particularly frustrating as Ipswich conceded a stoppage-time equaliser after being reduced to ten men. Their home performances suggest resilience but also reveal a clear area for improvement in converting chances and seeing out results.
Manchester United’s recent form paints a complex picture, as illustrated in the accompanying visual. Their most recent result was a dominant 3-0 victory over Leicester at Old Trafford under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. This followed a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea, both fixtures coming after Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, prompted by a 2-1 loss away to West Ham. Prior to that, a 2-1 home win against Brentford and a 0-0 stalemate at Aston Villa rounded out a mixed bag of results.
The Red Devils are only marginally in the net positive for xG across these five games, a statistic that raises eyebrows given the caliber of opponents and the fact that three of these fixtures were at home. For a club of United’s stature, this level of performance is far from acceptable. New head coach Ruben Amorim will face immediate pressure to improve both results and style, especially with expectations running high for a swift turnaround.
Another glaring issue is the lack of attacking output from United's strikers. None of the stat leaders for xG, shots, or goals are traditional strikers, with Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho, and Casemiro topping those metrics instead. Garnacho’s 20 shots and 2 goals show promise, but the absence of contributions from players like Højlund or Zirkzee is a concern that Amorim must address. Marcus Rashford could be deployed as the central striker against Ipswich, with the hope that he can provide a more clinical edge up front. The bar for improvement has been set low, and all eyes will be on how Amorim reshapes United’s attacking dynamics.
Manchester United Away Form
Manchester United’s away form this season has been inconsistent, as evidenced by their record of one win, two losses, and two draws from five games. The sole victory came in a 3-0 win at Southampton, a match where United survived an early scare after Cameron Archer missed a penalty at 0-0. Beyond that, the results have been mixed, with a stalemate at Aston Villa in a game that felt like both sides were content with a 0-0, and a frustrating draw at Crystal Palace where United edged the xG battle (1.75 - 1.04) but couldn’t find a winner.
The away losses, including the 2-1 defeat at West Ham, underline the challenges United face on the road, particularly in establishing a cohesive attacking approach. A lack of identity has been a recurring theme for United, and it’s no surprise that new manager Ruben Amorim has identified this as his first priority. His ambition to enforce a clear playing style, particularly one that enhances the team’s attacking fluidity and creativity, will be closely watched by fans. They’ll hope this translates into a more consistent ability to create and convert chances. The Ipswich game offers an early test of Amorim’s vision for a United side that has yet to convince on their travels this season.
Scouting Stats Predictions
At ScoutingstatsAI we have developed a match prediction model which aims to predict the probability of a match outcome. Here is our prediction for the Ipswich v Manchester United match.
Result
Ipswich Win: 36.06%
Draw: 24.77%
Manchester United Win: 39.17%
Scoreline
Most Likely Scorelines
Ipswich 1 - 1 Manchester United: 11.8%
Ipswich 0 - 1 Manchester United: 9.2%
Ipswich 1 - 2 Manchester United: 9.0%
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Featured photo: Manchester United - Getty Images