Manchester United will be desperate to turn around their dismal home form when they host relegation-threatened Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Ipswich's struggles continued over the weekend with another heavy defeat, pushing them closer to an immediate return to the Championship, while United were fortunate to come away with a point from a controversial draw at Everton.
United’s trip to Goodison Park on Saturday saw them fight back from 2-0 down to snatch a point, but it was a lucky escape. They were fortunate not to be further behind before Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick pulled them back into the game.
Manuel Ugarte’s equalizer followed soon after, and United could have been punished for two clear shirt-pulling incidents involving Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt on Ashley Young. Referee Andy Madley overturned his initial decision with the help of VAR, despite not having access to all available angles.
Still, the draw leaves United in a precarious position, sitting behind Everton in the table. West Ham’s win at Arsenal means they’ve now caught up, leveling on points with United. The gap to the European spots is widening, and with 12 points separating them from the top six, a season without continental football looks increasingly likely—unless they can win the FA Cup or Europa League.
The major issue for United has been their attack. Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee are still waiting for their first league goals in 2025, and the team is now just one match away from a new club record for failing to score in 11 separate Premier League games this season.
At home, the numbers are also concerning. United have scored just once in the first half of their last 11 league matches, and that came in a 3-1 defeat to Brighton, one of the five losses they've suffered in seven home league games under Ruben Amorim.
Despite these struggles, United have a strong record against Ipswich at Old Trafford, winning their last eight encounters here, even though they haven’t played them in the league since 2001. The last time they met in the League Cup, United won comfortably, and their most memorable clash with Ipswich came in 1995, when they set a Premier League record with a 9-0 victory—a record that’s been equaled but never surpassed.
Ipswich's last win at Old Trafford was back in 1984, and it remains the only time United have lost a league game at home after leading at halftime—388 matches ago.
On the other hand, Ipswich are battling to stay afloat in the Premier League. Kieran McKenna’s side saw their survival hopes take a hit after a 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, with a growing gap between the bottom three and safety. Wolves’ win at Bournemouth now leaves Ipswich five points adrift of survival.
Ipswich are the only team in the league without a win in their last six matches, with their only point coming in a surprise 1-1 draw at Aston Villa—despite playing with 10 men for most of the match. However, they have fared slightly better away from home, earning more points on the road (10) than they have at Portman Road (7).
Though Ipswich are the league's second-worst team at home, only ahead of Southampton, they may feel a bit more confident playing away at Old Trafford. They also managed a point against United earlier in the season, which was Amorim’s first match in charge of United.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
After naming eight teenagers on the bench against Spurs, Ruben Amorim had more experienced options available for the trip to Everton, with Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro, and Christian Eriksen all back in the squad.
Toby Collyer is also nearing a return, but there’s still no word on when we’ll see the likes of Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, or Luke Shaw back in action.
Amad Diallo and Lisandro Martinez will miss the rest of the season, but Diallo’s injury could open the door for more opportunities for Chido Obi, who made an impact off the bench at Goodison Park.
Meanwhile, Ipswich are dealing with more injury setbacks after their loss at the weekend. Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste were both forced off with calf and ankle injuries, respectively. Wes Burns is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, but Conor Chaplin could be fit for this match after a minor issue in the same area. Sam Morsy and Sammie Szmodics also made the bench at the weekend after recovering from their own injuries.
Axel Tuanzebe, the former Man United defender, is back from suspension and could replace Ben Godfrey in the starting lineup after the latter had a tough game against Spurs and was substituted at halftime.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Maguire; Dalot, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu; Zirkzee, Obi, Fernandes
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Palmer; Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste; Philogene, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester United 2-1 Ipswich Town
