Premier League | Gameweek 12

Nov 24, 2024 at 4.30pm UK

Portman Road Stadium

Ipswichvs.Man Utd

Match preview

In with the Portuguese and out with the Dutch, the upbeat Amorim has not only taken over from Ten Hag, but also Ruud van Nistelrooy, who had a four-match unbeaten run as interim head coach before it was decided that he would not be continuing at Old Trafford under the new regime.

Amorim is just 39, making him Man United's youngest head coach since a 31-year-old Wilf McGuinness in 1969. He has already won titles at Sporting Lisbon and recently beat Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League.

Amorim has already won over the Red Devils by beating their biggest rivals. Now he's aiming to achieve something that none of Ten Hag, van Gaal or Ferguson managed: win their first game as Man United manager.

Before leaving, Van Nistelrooy saw successive wins against PAOK in the Europa League and Leicester City in the Premier League. However, the 3-0 defeat against Leicester wasn't enough to propel Man United out of the bottom half of the table. They're currently in 13th place.

On top of that, Van Nistelrooy's three victories as Man United manager all came at Old Trafford. The Red Devils haven't won a single away match in the last five games across all competitions. In fact, they've only got one road win to show for the 2024-25 season: the 3-0 win against Southampton in September.

Amorim's nemesis for the weekend could give the Portuguese a heads-up or two about what it's like in the Man United dugout. After all, Ipswich head coach McKenna used to be a scout and youth team coach for Man United. He was also a right-hand man for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho, Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick.

When Ten Hag's future was up in the air over the summer, McKenna was among several names that were thought to be in the running to take over, but he ended up signing a new contract with an Ipswich side that finally got their first Premier League win at the 11th attempt two weekends ago.

The Tractor Boys rocked up to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and left with three points in the bag. Liam Delap and Sammie Szmodics got them off to a flying start in the first 45 minutes, and they held on for the final 20 after Rodrigo Bentancur cut the deficit in half.

Ipswich's win against the Lilywhites was a big one. It was their first victory of the top-flight season and it also lifted them out of the demotion zone and into the relative safety of 17th place. However, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers are both within touching distance.

McKenna's team are still the only Premier League side without a home win this season, and history doesn't look good for them. Man United have beaten Ipswich in each of their last four meetings, most recently in the 2015 EFL Cup final.

Recent Performance

Ipswich Town Premier League form:DLLLDW

Manchester United Premier League form:LDWLDW

Manchester United form (all competitions):DLWDWW

Team News

Amorim is expected to implement his 3-4-3 system from the start, and he could be boosted by the returns of Kobbie Mainoo, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw from various afflictions, as all three were involved in the Portuguese's first training session earlier this week.

Yoro and Shaw might be held back given their lengthy layoffs, and the same goes for the unfit Tyrell Malacia. Harry Maguire (calf), Lisandro Martinez (back) and Victor Lindelof, who picked up a groin injury with Sweden, are all doubts.

It looks like Jonny Evans and Matthijs de Ligt will be the two in Amorim's three-man defensive wall. There's a chance Casemiro might play centre-back if the visitors can't get any of their injured defenders back for Sunday.

The home team has a few injury concerns. On-loan Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is eligible to play again after a ban, but McKenna has revealed that he is also struggling with a knock and is not a guarantee for the weekend.

Nathan Broadhead (groin), Wes Burns (knock), Jacob Greaves (thigh), Jack Taylor (unspecified) and Omari Hutchinson (foot) are also up in the air, but Achilles victim Chiedozie Ogbene and George Hirst – who has suffered a new knee problem – are definitely out.

With Hirst out and Hutchinson doubtful, it looks like Conor Chaplin will be on standby to operate just off Delap. Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe is set to start at right-back against his former employers.

Possible starting lineup

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Muric; Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste; Johnson, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Onana; De Ligt, Casemiro, Evans; Dalot, Ugarte, Mainoo, Mazraoui; Fernandes, Hojlund, Garnacho