Ipswich vs Manchester City – Match Preview and team news

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·19 de enero de 2025

Ipswich vs Manchester City – Match Preview and team news

Manchester City travel to Portman Road for the first time since 2002 this Sunday to face Ipswich Town.

The reigning champions have an advantage over Ipswich as they have had two more days rest following their draw with Brentford.

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Young Brazilian defender Vitor Reis is close to completing a £35 million switch to the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland committed his future to Manchester City on Friday as a contract lasting until 2034 was announced. The Norwegian will be assessed alongside his fellow City teammates with the demands of the schedule taking its toll.

Ruben Dias and Oscar Bobb have been spotted in training but Guardiola will not rush the pair back. Kyle Walker is not expected to feature amidst uncertainty around his future with AC Milan the frontrunners for his signature.

Ipswich fell to a 2-0 home defeat to Brighton on Thursday night which was their first loss of 2025. Jaden Philogene is ready to play after the winger’s £20 million switch from Aston Villa was completed during the week. Sammie Szmodics missed the game against Brighton with muscle strain and isn’t expected to be ready for the weekend.

Read – What Erling Haaland’s new deal means for Man City

Ipswich vs Manchester City – Match Preview and team news

Form

Ipswich: LWDWL

Ipswich slipped back into the relegation zone after falling to defeat against Brighton. Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georgino Rutter saw the Tractor Boys drop into the bottom three on goal difference.

Prior to that negative result, Kieran McKenna’s side were producing quality displays and getting just rewards. A 2-0 victory over Chelsea preceded a well-earned point away to Fulham. Meanwhile, they also secured progression into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 win over Bristol Rovers.

Manchester City: DWWWD

A late collapse from City saw their two-goal lead disappear in the final ten minutes of their clash with Brentford on Tuesday.

Phil Foden scored twice in the second period to put the visitors in the driving seat. But goals from Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard stopped the Manchester club from picking up their fourth consecutive victory.

Prior to their draw in West London, Pep Guardiola’s side had overcome Leicester City and West Ham United. Last weekend, they put eight past League Two side Salford City without reply in the third round of the FA Cup.

Last Meeting

Manchester City 4-1 Ipswich Town, Premier League, 24th August 2024

An Erling Haaland hat-trick helped Man City overcome newly promoted Ipswich Town in their last meeting.

The reigning Premier League champions started slow and were punished by the Tractor Boys in the seventh minute. Sammie Szmodics beat the offside trap which sent him clear with only Ederson to beat. The Irishman’s shot squirmed underneath the goalkeeper and trickled over the line.

City’s response was almost immediate and it came through a familiar source. Leif Davis unlawfully impeded Savinho inside the area and Haaland sent Arijanet Muric the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Ipswich were the creators of their own downfall minutes later as their surprising lead dissipated. Muric took too much time on the ball and was dispossessed by Savinho, allowing Kevin de Bruyne to pass into an empty net.

Any Ipswich resolve had vanished by the 16th minute as the hosts scored their third in four minutes. The goalkeeper misread De Bruyne’s pass to Haaland as the Norwegian beat him to the ball before placing in his second.

Rico Lewis should have got in on the act, but he opted for power instead of accuracy from close range and smashed the crossbar. De Bruyne also hit the woodwork as his dipping long-range effort touched almost the exact same spot as Lewis’ shot moments earlier.

Kieran McKenna and his players felt they should have been an awarded a penalty of their own after Savinho clumsily clattered into Davis. But referee Sam Allison waved the claims away.

The hosts’ dominance didn’t waver in the second half and Muric reacted well to stop Haaland’s header to deny him a hat-trick. But City’s number nine was determined to collect his first match ball of the season.

With very little backlift, the striker found the bottom corner from outside the box to complete Manchester City’s emphatic comeback with two minutes to go.

Guardiola – Haaland ‘realised there is no better place’ after signing City contract

Predicted Line-ups

Ipswich XI: Walton, Johnson, O’Shea, Godfrey, Greaves, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste; Hutchinson, Delap, Philogene

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Doku, Foden, Silva, Savinho, Haaland

Who is the referee?

Sam Barrott will be the match official. He will be assisted by Timothy Wood and Richard West while Tim Robinson will be the fourth official. The VAR will be Paul Tierney and he will be assisted by Nick Hopton.