Manchester United vs Ipswich: Preview, Team News, Possible Lineups and Score Prediction

Manchester United will look to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season when they host newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday.

This marks the second consecutive weekend the Red Devils face a team fresh from the Championship.

United suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Hull City on the opening day, their first-ever top-flight loss to the Tigers. In stark contrast, Gary O'Neil's Ipswich celebrated their Premier League return with a dramatic 2-1 win over Sunderland, sealed by a 90th-minute Jack Clarke goal against his former club.

Michael Carrick's return to Manchester United in the New Year sparked a significant turnaround. The club was languishing in seventh place but won 12 of their final 17 league matches to secure a third-place finish—their highest since the 2022-23 season.

Hopes were high following a positive pre-season and the summer acquisitions of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Karl Darlow, with Carlos Baleba also recently joining. However, this optimism was quickly dampened by a surprise loss at the MKM Stadium.

Hull City took the lead when Semi Ajayi scored on the rebound after Senne Lammens saved an initial effort. Club-record signing Nobel Mendy then doubled their advantage, heading in a precise free-kick on his debut.

The result was historic for all the wrong reasons for United, marking the first time they have lost to a promoted side on the opening day of a Premier League season. Despite having 21 shots, Carrick's team struggled to create clear-cut chances, a problem they will be desperate to solve.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town made a triumphant return to the top flight. The Tractor Boys, who were relegated in 2024-25, secured an immediate comeback under Kieran McKenna by finishing second in the Championship. Following McKenna's surprise decision to take a break from management, the club appointed former Wolves boss Gary O'Neil.

Ipswich invested heavily over the summer, spending over £100 million to bolster their squad and avoid a swift return to the second tier. The new signings made an immediate impact in their 2-1 victory over Sunderland, a feat they didn't achieve until November in their last Premier League campaign. Ipswich also advanced in the League Cup this week, beating Leicester City 3-1.

Manchester United are contending with several injuries. New signing Carlos Baleba is unavailable for his debut due to an ankle injury sustained in pre-season. Tom Heaton, Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount, and Manuel Ugarte are also expected to miss the match.

Despite no new injuries from the Hull game, Michael Carrick may opt for changes to his starting lineup. Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are both strong contenders to be included from the start.

For Ipswich, manager Gary O'Neil made nine changes for the midweek cup tie against Leicester, indicating a return to his preferred Premier League eleven. Defender Dara O'Shea and midfielder Marcelino Nunez, who scored twice against the Foxes, are likely to retain their places after starting the last two games.

Manchester United: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire. Heaven, Shaw; Mainoo , A. Santos; Mbeumo, B. Fernandes. Rashford; M. Cunha

Ipswich Town: Scherpen; O'Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Nunez, Lukic; Clarke, Enciso, Maeda; Emersonn

The match will kick off at 6.30pm (East African time) on Sunday and will be live on SuperSport TV.

Ipswich will arrive full of confidence after an impressive opening-day win and are poised to offer a significant challenge. However, Manchester United's superior quality, combined with their home advantage, should be enough to secure a narrow victory in what promises to be a tightly contested match.