Manchester United vs Ipswich Town: Injury Struggles Ahead of Clash
Manchester United face Ipswich Town at Old Trafford with a threadbare squad and the pressure already cranked up after a nightmare start to the season.
Michael Carrick’s side were booed off after a 2-0 defeat to Hull City on the opening weekend, a result that underlined just how fragile this new United project looks. Hull arrived tipped for relegation. They left with three points and questions swirling around United’s readiness.
Now comes Ipswich. Newly promoted, written off before a ball was kicked, and yet already carrying momentum after an impressive win over Sunderland. It’s the worst possible time for United to be counting absentees.
Between them, the two clubs are set to be without nine players for this Premier League clash.
United stretched as key men sit out
Carrick confirmed that Amad Diallo will not feature against the Tractor Boys after picking up a minor injury in training. The winger missed the defeat to Hull and will stay out of the picture a little longer.
“Amad won't be involved, he'll be out for a little bit longer,” Carrick said, drawing a firm line under any hopes of a swift return.
Mason Mount is another who will watch from the sidelines, though his situation offers a glimmer of light. The midfielder has rejoined training and is edging back towards selection.
“Mase is back around the group, he trained this week, so a real positive,” Carrick explained. Encouraging, but not enough to risk him in a game United simply cannot afford to lose.
The club’s big new signing Carlos Baleba, brought in from Brighton and Hove Albion for £70million, also won’t be thrown straight into the fire. The midfielder has arrived with an ankle issue that United were already aware of before completing the deal.
“He's got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, three weeks. We knew that before. It's no major issue. It'll be great to have him back,” Carrick said. For now, though, the marquee signing is reduced to a spectator as his new team tries to steady itself.
At the back, long-term absentee Matthijs De Ligt remains unavailable, even if the tone around his recovery is far more upbeat. The Dutch defender is finally back in training and building fitness after a lengthy lay-off.
“Matta's obviously been out for a long period of time. But he's training and it's great to have him back. He won't be involved, but he's in good shape and moving in a good direction, so that's a good bonus for us really, at this stage, to have him back,” Carrick said.
There is disruption even in goal. Veteran backup Tom Heaton will also miss out after suffering an injury in the pre-season friendly against PSG. Carrick has not yet put a date on his return, leaving United short of experienced cover between the posts.
For a team already under scrutiny, it’s a demanding list of absentees.
Ipswich travel light on numbers, heavy on belief
Ipswich, though buoyant after their opening-day win, have their own problems.
Jaden Philogene is sidelined with an ankle injury that kept him out of the victory over Sunderland and will again rule him out at Old Trafford.
Midfield options are also thinned. Florentino Luis misses out with a calf problem, having already been absent for the Sunderland clash. Azor Matusiwa, another who sat out that game with a thigh issue, remains unavailable.
Jack Taylor completes Ipswich’s injury list. The midfielder continues his recovery from a knee injury and has yet to feature in the Premier League this season.
So Gary O’Neil takes his side to Old Trafford without four players, but with something arguably more valuable than a full squad: belief. Ipswich have already torn up one script. United, wounded and short-handed, cannot afford to let them rip up another.
