Manchester United welcome Ipswich to Old Trafford on Sunday at 16:30, looking to respond after opening their season with a 2-0 defeat at Hull.
United have not lost this league fixture recently, winning five and drawing two of the seven meetings since 2000, but Ipswich arrive with confidence after beating Sunderland 2-1.
Manchester United were strong at home last season, winning 13 of their 19 league matches while scoring 39 goals and conceding 24. Their average of 3.32 goals per home game was the highest in the division, with over 2.5 goals landing in 58% and both teams scoring in 68%.
The underlying figures were also good. United averaged 1.70 xG at Old Trafford, ranking fourth, alongside 1.24 xGA, also fourth. Their xG ratio of 0.58 ranked third, while they failed to score in only 11% of their home matches. The concern was a clean-sheet rate of 21%, which left opponents with regular opportunities to contribute.
Those defensive problems continued at Hull. United dominated possession and finished with 21 shots, five on target and 2.19 xG, but still lost 2-0 after allowing four shots on target and three big chances. Their failure to score was wasteful, but conceding twice from 0.99 xGA showed the problems were not limited to finishing.
Ipswich were promoted from the Championship last summer. Their strongest work came at Portman Road, but on the road they had the fourth highest xPTS but finished with the seventh best away record.
Gary O’Neil has inherited the team from Kieran McKenna and began with a 2-1 win over Sunderland. Ipswich generated 1.43 xG from 10 shots, with three on target and two big chances. They also allowed Sunderland 0.91 xG, four shots on target and two big chances, which points towards opportunities at both ends.
How the bookies view it
Manchester United are 4/9, implying a 69.2% chance of winning. The draw is 4/1, implying 20%, while Ipswich are 13/2, implying 13.3%.
Over 2.5 goals is priced at 8/13, implying 61.9%, with under 2.5 available at 13/10, implying 43.5%. Both teams to score is 5/6, implying 54.5%.
Head to head: Utd strong record against the Tractor Boys
The teams have met seven times in the league since 2000, with Manchester United winning five and the other two ending level. United also won their League Cup meeting in 2015.
Their most recent league meeting came in February 2025, when Manchester United won 3-2. Ipswich have scored in four of the seven league meetings during this period. Ipswich have not won at Old Trafford since 1984.
Player to watch: Julio Enciso main threat for the visitors
Julio Enciso was Ipswich’s standout performer against Sunderland, setting up the opening goal with a driving run from inside his own half. He recorded one assist from 70 minutes on his full debut and looks set to become Gary O’Neil’s main creative outlet.
Predicted lineups
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens, Mazraoui, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw, Tielemans, Santos, Mbeumo, Fernandes, Dorgu, Cunha.
Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Scherpen, O’Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis, Lukic, Nunez, Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda, Emersonn.
Anything else catch the eye
Manchester United should create enough chances to improve on their blank at Hull. They generated 2.19 xG and 21 shots despite failing to score, while their home attacking record last season was among the strongest in the league.
Ipswich also showed enough against Sunderland to trouble a United defence that kept only four clean sheets in 19 home matches last season. Julio Enciso gives them a route through transitions, while United allowed Hull three big chances despite dominating possession.
The bet is both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 10/11.
Manchester Utd vs Ipswich Town Betting Tips & Predictions
Further Reading
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