Manchester United will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome Ipswich Town to Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Gameweek 27 of the 2024/25 Premier League season will continue on Wednesday, which will feature five games. The action on the day will start with four simultaneous fixtures, including Manchester United vs Ipswich Town at Old Trafford.
Chaos has been the name of the game for Manchester United in the 2024/25 season. Erik ten Hag could not last half the campaign, with the Red Devils parting ways with the Dutchman in October. Ruben Amorim took over midway through November, but he has won as many games as he has lost (9) in his 22 outings thus far for Manchester United.
However, his team showed some character in the come-from-behind 2-2 draw with Everton this past weekend. But the stalemate with the Merseyside outfit stretched Manchester United’s winless run in the Premier League to three games, with European qualification looking unlikely.
On the other hand, Ipswich Town’s most recent win in the Premier League came midway through December, with the visitors failing to win their last ten top-flight outings. While the FA Cup has brought some reprieve, the Tractor Boys need to start winning games to avoid relegation from the Premier League, with 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers recently opening up a five-point gap over them.
The reverse fixture saw Ipswich Town come from a goal down to hold Manchester United to a 1-1 draw, with Omari Hutchinson scoring the equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of as many as eight first-team players vs Ipswich Town on Wednesday.
Kobbie Mainoo (muscle) and Amad Diallo (ankle) are the most notable absentees, although the former should return in a few weeks. The duo accompanies Altay Bayindir (unspecified), Jonny Evans (lower back), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Toby Collyer (knock), and Mason Mount (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Andre Onana will take his spot between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Ipswich Town on Wednesday. The central defensive unit should feature Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt, with Noussair Mazraoui getting some rest. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu will continue as the two wing-backs.
The wide will provide width in the final third while supporting the centre-backs in the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, Bruno Fernandes might drop into the double pivot alongside Manuel Ugarte. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will lead the line for Manchester United against Ipswich Town, with Alejandro Garnacho and Joshua Zirkzee supporting him in the advanced areas.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, de Ligt; Dalot, Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes, Dorgu; Zirkzee, Garnacho; Hojlund
Ipswich Town
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Kieran McKenna has new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Ipswich Town manager might be without seven first-team players on Wednesday.
McKenna is sweating over Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips’s fitness, with the duo picking up knocks this past weekend against Tottenham Hotspur. The duo and Conor Chaplin face late fitness tests to determine their availability. In addition, Axel Tuanzebe will be available after serving a suspension. However, Wes Burns (knee), Christian Walton (groin), Chiedozie Ogbene (achilles), and Julio Enciso (knee) remain on the sidelines.
Alex Palmer should take his spot between the sticks, with Ipswich Town lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Wednesday. The backline should feature Axel Tuanzebe, Dara O’Shea, Jacob Greaves, and Leif Davis.
As for the midfield unit, Cajuste will accompany Samy Morsy in the double pivot if he is fit and available. Omari Hutchinson will likely reprise the no. 10 role, with Sammie Szmodics and Jaden Philogene being the two wide attackers. Finally, Liam Delap will spearhead the Ipswich Town attack against Manchester United on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste; Philogene, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap
Key Stats
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last seven home league games vs Ipswich Town (W5 D2), winning the three most recent ties by an aggregate score of 15-0. The Tractor Boys have kept only one clean sheet in their last 23 league games against Manchester United, a goalless draw at Old Trafford in November 1993.
- Manchester United have lost seven Premier League home games this season, with five defeats coming in Ruben Amorim’s seven ties in charge. They last lost more times at Old Trafford in a single league campaign in the 1962/63 campaign (9).
- Ipswich Town have kept only one clean sheet in their 24 most recent Premier League away games (52 goals conceded), drawing 0-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion in September.
- Ipswich Town have failed to win their seven Premier League games thus far in 2025 (D2 L5), conceding an average of three goals per game this year. Only in 1970 (top-flight) and 1990 (second tier) did they fail to win their first eight league games in a calendar year.
- Manchester United have not been ahead at half-time in any of their last 19 matches across all competitions since leading 2-0 against Everton in December. In the Premier League this term, only Leicester City (7) have scored fewer first-half goals than the Red Devils (9).
Player to Watch
Rasmus Hojlund
While Bruno Fernandes and Liam Delap were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Rasmus Hojlund as our Player to Watch for Wednesday’s game between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Old Trafford. With Chido Obi-Martin making an impression in his cameo against Everton this past weekend, the pressure is rising on the struggling Dane.
The 22-year-old has scored only two goals in the Premier League this season, and things are going from bad to worse with each passing performance. While the Danish international wants to stay and fight for his future at Manchester United, a summer departure might be on the cards if he does not improve. That cannot come sooner, and he must step up against Ipswich Town on Wednesday.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-1 Ipswich Town
With Manchester United struggling to win games at home under Ruben Amorim, Ipswich Town might feel they have a golden opportunity to return to winning ways in the midweek Premier League fixture. However, the Tractor Boys have been horrendous in 2025, conceding nearly three goals per game on average.
So, Manchester United might feel they have an opportunity to clinch a rare home victory in the Premier League. All the factors point to an engrossing affair, and every eventuality should be possible until the final minutes. However, the home side should have enough quality to eke a positive result. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Ruben Amorim and his charges.
