4 Manchester City vs 1 Ipswich Town
City eye back-to-back victories against newly promoted Ipswich.
Manchester City versus Ipswich Town promises a clash of champions and newcomers, as Pep Guardiola's formidable side aims to continue their dominance against the Tractor Boys in their first Premier League meeting in over two decades.
Manchester City
While Chelsea fans had expected their side to put up a decent fight, they were left disappointed after Manchester City swept the Blues aside in a comfortable 2-0 win. It was the most anticipated game of the opening weekend in the Premier League, but it turned out to be a walk in the park for the four-time successive Premier League champions.
Erling Haaland muscled his way beyond two Chelsea shirts before firing into the corner for Manchester City’s opening goal inside the first twenty minutes. Late in the game, former Chelsea player Mateo Kovačić made muted celebrations after putting the game to bed for the Sky Blues. That win left City with 13 opening-day wins in 14 seasons, with a defeat to Spurs in 2021/22 being their only loss on such a day.
Pep 'didn't expect the win' but was no doubt pleased with the result. With newly promoted Ipswich Town up next, Pep will have his eyes set on back-to-back victories. An impressive record against newly promoted teams has seen City win 17 of their 18 games against such teams since April 2021 when they lost to Leeds at home, 2-1.
A 4—2—3—1 with Erling Haaland in attack is expected against the newcomers. Rodri remains in doubt, while new arrival Savinho is an injury doubt after coming off at halftime against Chelsea.
Ipswich Town
The fans had waited 22 years for their return to the top-flight but were disheartened by an opening-day 2-0 loss to Liverpool, whose manager Arne Slot was making his debut.
Goals from Diogo Jota [60’] and Mohamed Salah [65’] left Ipswich with a rude awakening to the reality of Premier League life. Now a sterner test awaits, with a planned trip to the Emirates to face City, whom they will meet for the first time since January 2002. The last meeting ended in a 4-1 loss for the Tractor Boys.
While Kieran McKenna looks forward to seeing his side return as happy travellers, it is worth noting that Ipswich have never scored a goal against top-flight champions in any of their last seven away league meetings [0W, 1D, 6L].
A 4—2—3—1 with Liam Delap in attack is expected for Saturday’s clash. Troubled by injuries, Ipswich could be without seven players for their trip to Manchester, with Harry Clarke, George Hirst, and Nathan Broadhead all ruled out.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.