Chris Sutton’s Premier League Match Forecast: Ipswich Town vs. Manchester United

Chris Sutton is providing forecasts for all 380 Premier League fixtures this season, engaging with various guests. For week 12, he is joined by Peter Hooton, a singer from The Farm and a Liverpool supporter. The Farm’s latest single, “Forever & Ever,” is currently available, and their new album, “Let The Music (Take Control),” is scheduled for release in May 2025. Sutton’s prediction: 1-1. He speculates that this marks Ruben Amorim’s initial visit to Ipswich, suggesting it may not be an ideal starting point for him with Manchester United. Ipswich’s recent victory against Tottenham is expected to boost their confidence, and having already secured three home draws, they are anticipated to be competitive. This is particularly true if United is still adjusting to a new tactical setup, given that many of their players are returning from international duty and have not had sufficient time to train with Amorim. United will need to focus on defense, as Sammie Szmodics presents a lively threat upfront, and Liam Delap is also a challenging opponent, with his impressive statistics for goal involvements, including assists. Ipswich’s main task is to improve their defensive discipline; if they manage this, they could secure a positive outcome from the match. Sutton notes that while most observers might predict an Amorim victory to start, he is opting for a draw. He adds that after the initial excitement and hype surrounding the perceived upgrade, a loss for United against the “Tractor Boys” would be unthinkable, but questions the implications if they were to drop points. Hooton’s prediction: 1-2. He acknowledges Ipswich’s strong performance against Spurs but believes that with this being Amorim’s inaugural game, his players will be motivated to impress him, leading him to foresee a United win. Hooton expresses a personal hope that United does not revert to their form under Sir Alex Ferguson, but ponders the appeal of having “four or five clubs challenging for the title,” describing such a scenario as “unbelievable.” He states he is “quite happy that United have fallen off a cliff since Ferguson left” but also suggests that, in a way, their return to strength would be desirable to enable winning the league against a formidable United side. Further predictions and opportunities to share your opinion are available here.