Ipswich Town take on Manchester United, at Old Trafford, in a Premier League match tonight (7.30pm ko). Here’s what manager Kieran McKenna had to say ahead of returning to his former club.
Q: Have you needed to lift your players after Saturday’s 4-1 home loss to Tottenham?
A: We have a terrific game coming up on Wednesday, so there’s a lot of excitement on the training site today. Everyone is tremendously pumped to play at Old Trafford versus Manchester United.
It’s definitely a standout on the calendar. Many of us who grew up watching football will find inspiration in this stadium. Many of our players will be playing at Old Trafford for the first time, and a game like this does not come around every ten years.
The opportunity to travel to compete in a league game is excellent for the football club, the players, and the staff. We’re all quite excited for it.
Q: Manchester United, incredibly, sit 15th in the Premier League table. What have you made of your former club’s season?
A: To be honest, I haven’t paid much attention to it because we’re so focused on improving ourselves.
We played them in the manager’s (Ruben Amorim) first game, a 1-1 draw at Portman Road in November, so that’s our most direct parallel. There were certainly positive aspects to that game for us, and they also demonstrated their quality at times.
Of course, I know quite a few of the players on a more personal level (I was Manchester United’s assistant manager from 2018 to 2021). Our players know almost all of their teammates quite well. We know it’ll be a tough challenge because I’m sure they’ll strive to finish the season strong.
However, we believe there is an opportunity to go out and do exceptionally well.
Q: How surprised are you by Manchester United’s struggles? Can you explain it?
A: Of course, it is a surprise. I doubt nobody in football would say anything else.
I’m sure they wish they were having a better season, but I believe it demonstrates the Premier League’s competitiveness. That is the truth.
We’ve seen that with Manchester City and Tottenham throughout the season. You don’t have to do a lot of things wrong to end yourself on the wrong side of the results.
I believe it’s a really powerful league. Many of the teams have strengthened and pushed forward in recent seasons, so I don’t believe there are any assurances for any team in the league.
If there was one simple reason to improve their home form, I’m confident the previous or present manager would have addressed it. I am sure they are looking for solutions. The ones who are closest to it will have the most informed opinions.
They’ll be anxious to win on Wednesday night. We’ll be desperate to get there and earn some points as well. So, you know, this should be a very competitive contest.
Q: What’s your best memory from your time as a coach at Manchester United?
A: Probably PSG away (in 2019, United came back from a 2-0 home loss in the first leg to win 3-1 and go to the Champions League quarterfinals). I believe that was a memorable experience for everyone involved.
Working at the greatest level of the game at the time, at the absolute top of the Premier League and in the last stages of the Champions League, was a rare opportunity in one’s career.
Working with world-class players, working in the largest and most scrutinized club in world football, and doing so at a young age as a coach was a wonderful experience from which I learned a lot.
Q: Since Ruben Amorim took over, what are, to you, the most striking changes that he’s made?
A: I have to admit that I didn’t watch many of them under Eric ten Hag this year because they were not in our early fixtures. Then, before our game against United (in late November), we knew Ruben was coming in. So I probably watched as many Sporting Lisbon games as I did United games leading up to that one.
I believe it is evident that there have been certain changes to the system, which have been well documented.
However, as I mentioned before the first game, they had previously used a 3-2-5 possession strategy under Eric ten Hag.
I believe they defend more frequently today in a line of five, in the second and third phases, which is a little different.
Q: Manchester United have lost seven Premier League games at Old Trafford this season, they’re 17th in the form table since Ruben Amorim took charge and they’ve got a few injuries. We talked last week about it maybe not being the best time to face Tottenham due to their upturn in form and injuries clearing up. Is this a good time to face United?
A: Who knows. As I previously stated, we always prepare to face a very strong version of the opponent.
Consider the Premier League, international, and Champions League experience that they will have on the field. It would be silly of us to go there expecting anything less than a massive challenge and a truly difficult game. I believe that’s what we’ll get.
We’ll go there with humility, knowing we’re up against some world-class players in their home stadium, but also with confidence, knowing we’ve had some significant wins away from home. We did well against Manchester United in the first game (a 1-1 home draw at Portman Road), and we’ll go there hoping to dominate as much of the game as possible.
Q: The gap to safety is five points, effectively six due to goal difference, with 12 games to go. You need a run of results now, don’t you, not just one here and there?
A: Well, you should start with the first one. You can’t think about a run till you have one. We got a solid point at Aston Villa, but we’re looking for a win, and we’ll have to fight hard to get it.
We know we will be underdogs in almost every game this season. This game will not be any different.
We have to fight in every game because you never know when your points will arrive.
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