Ruben Amorim and his Manchester United side will dip their toes in an exciting new partnership when they travel to Ipswich Town on Sunday.
The fixture presents an opportunity to harness the momentum gained during the interim period of Ruud van Nistelrooy, with three wins and a draw earned from four outings.
Astonishingly, you must go back to 2002 for the last trip to Portman Road for a Premier League meeting between the sides, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s men completing a league double with a one-nil victory.
Former United tactician Kieran McKenna is ready and waiting for the 20-time English champions on their return. The highly-regarded manager has defied belief since his appointment with the Tractor Boys in 2021.
Both sets of supporters entered the International break following encouraging wins, with Ipswich collecting their first three points on their return thanks to a deserved away victory against Tottenham Hotspur.
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A visibly excited Amorim addressed the media for his opening press conference on Friday afternoon.
His desire for success was evident from the off, displaying an infectious charisma that captivated the room.
“I’m a little bit of a dreamer, and I believe in myself,” he declared.
“I also believe in the club. I think we have the same idea – the same mindset – so that can help, but I truly believe in the players also.
“I know that you guys don’t believe a lot in these players – but I believe a lot!”
The Manchester club provided a glimpse into life under the former Sporting man with behind-the-scenes footage from his opening training sessions.
Several returning faces were present throughout, with Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia active in various transitions. Although, it remains unclear regarding their ability to compete competitively.
“We have to see; we have one more training,” Amorim told media via the club’s official website.
“But Luke [Shaw], for example, is feeling fine, but we have to build his fitness during games, so we have to be careful.
“I think he’s a very good player, so I will take care of him and I want these kinds of players that are important in our squad for a long period and not just for a game.
“We have some guys returning from injury, so we had some moments together, working in that indoor pitch [on] tactical work.
“We have to manage the load during this week with some players from national teams [as well], but we are ready to face Ipswich.”
Historically, this is a fixture that bodes well for United, with victories in four of the previous five encounters and clean sheets in each (four wins and one draw).
Furthermore, the Old Trafford side has won 17 of their last 19 meetings with newly promoted opposition (drawn two).
Despite earning a valuable three points against Spurs, McKenna’s side is the only team in England’s top tier without a domestic home victory this season.
Should Amorim begin with a win, it will be the first time consecutive Portman Road victories have been achieved since 1962/63.
How do you see Manchester United and Ipswich playing out?
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