Ahead of Sunday’s clash, we have the Ipswich vs Manchester City preview, prediction, latest team news and predicted lineups.
Ipswich Vs Manchester City Preview
Thursday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Brighton has left Ipswich firmly gripped in the Premier League relegation battle. Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter inflicted the Tractor Boys 11th defeat of the season.
Kieran McKenna’s task doesn’t get any easier as the faltering champions visit Portman Road on Sunday afternoon. It’ll be the first league clash in Suffolk since the sides met in the top flight in 2001.
Ipswich ran out 2-1 winners on that occasion thanks to goals from Matt Holland and Martijn Reuser. McKenna’s men will need to be at their very best to replicate a similar scoreline.
However, the Blues have been better on the road this season. Only one victory has come on home soil in 11 attempts. Interestingly, that solitary win came against Chelsea on December 30.
The Tractor Boys faithful know that they can certainly mix it with the best in the league. But, they’ll also need an element of lady luck on their side to beat their vastly superior opponents.
"He's doing really well, we're very happy for him" 👏
Pep Guardiola praises Manchester City academy graduate Liam Delap's form for Ipswich Town ahead of their Premier League clash 🙌 pic.twitter.com/0RcfuDa5iF
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 17, 2025
Manchester City’s recent revival didn’t last too long as Brentford pegged them back during the week. Phil Foden’s brace was wiped out by Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard.
The 2-2 draw put an end to the three-game winning run that City had been enjoying. Premier League wins over Leicester and West Ham boosted morale and an 8-0 FA Cup win had set the Cityzens on the path of redemption.
Nonetheless, City get to go again when they take on a struggling Ipswich side. A new Erling Haaland contract has stolen all the headlines in the build up to the clash.
The Norwegian superstar is set to pocket a staggering £500,000-a-week under the new terms of his nine-and-a-half year deal. That figure is just his basic salary.
Ahead of Sunday’s clash, the best football betting sites in the UK price Haaland at 12/1 to net a hat-trick.
Ipswich Vs Manchester City Team News
Kalvin Phillips is unable to feature against his parent club owing to the terms of his loan deal. Therefore, Ipswich captain Sam Morsy could come into midfield.
Phillips will miss out alongside injured quartet Conor Chaplin, Chiedozie Ogbene, Axel Tuanzebe and Sammie Szmodics. Omari Hutchinson is primed to start after returning in midweek.
January signing Jaden Philogene is in line to make his debut. The £20 million addition from Aston Villa could start alongside Liam Delap and Hutchinson.
Meanwhile, Manchester City aren’t expected to name wantaway right-back Kyle Walker in their matchday squad. He was left out against Brentford midweek.
The likes of Rodri, Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias will definitely miss out. John Stones is rated 50/50 but Pep Guardiola may be tempted to afford the defender some minutes if passed fit.
Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov could well be City players by the time the game comes around. If that is the case, Guardiola could use both players off the bench.
"It was an easy decision to sign" ✍️
Let's hear from @ErlingHaaland…
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 17, 2025
Ipswich Vs Manchester City Predicted Lineups
Ipswich (3-4-3): Walton; Woolfenden, Godfrey, Greaves; O’Shea, Cajuste, Morsy, Davis; Hutchinson, Delap, Philogene
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan; Foden, De Bruyne, Doku; Haaland
Ipswich Vs Manchester City Prediction
We fully expect Manchester City to pick up their first away win of the year at Portman Road on Sunday. Ipswich have had a valiant go at Premier League sides since their promotion.
However, an improving City will be too hot to handle for the Tractor Boys. Erling Haaland will be buoyed after signing his mega-money deal and we fancy it to be a straight forward victory for the Cityzens.
Prediction: Ipswich 0-3 Manchester City