Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
2024/25 English Premier League
Matchday 2
Manchester City v Ipswich Town
Etihad Stadium
Manchester, England
Saturday, 24 August 2024
Kick-off is at 16h00
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna will face possibly the toughest test of his fledgling career when he goes up against Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, August 24.
McKenna has done a remarkable job at Portman Road since his arrival in December 2021, winning historic back-to-back promotions with the Tractor Boys, who became only the sixth club to achieve that feat.
McKenna's side kicked off proceedings in the
Premier League with a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool on August 17 and they make the daunting trip to Eastlands for the first time since 25 November 2000 which saw them emerge 3-2 victors.
The Citizens made a winning start to their title defence as goals in each half from Erling Haaland (18') and Mateo Kovacic (84') secured a 2-0 triumph over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on August 18.
It was City's 10 straight win in the league and extended their unbeaten run to 24 games since they last tasted defeat at the hands of Aston Villa (1-0) on 6 December 2023.
Image copyright: Getty Images
Guardiola insisted he was not surprised by the quality of the champions' display in West London, given the lack of time he had to work with the majority of his squad in pre-season.
"I am so impressed but not surprised. That's what I expect for this level and commitment," the Spaniard said.
"It's such a privilege and honour to be manager of this club and players. To do this after winning so well and lack of preparation.
"The good news is we won; the bad news is we have 70 more games. We will prepare Ipswich and West Ham before the international break and after that we will have the team for the season."
Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Ipswich initially made life difficult for the Reds, restricting them to zero shots in the first half, and McKenna felt there were plenty of positives to take from the performance of his players on the opening weekend.
"I am proud. I think there are so many positives which we can build on for the season. Of course most of those positives were in the first half, where there was so much to like about us that we're going to need," he said.
"I thought we were really aggressive, brave out of possession and made it really difficult for Liverpool to play. The crowd had a big part in making it a difficult place to come and play, and that is going to be very important for us.
"We know we can improve in the second half. Liverpool really hit their stride during that period and there's bits we can do better there to make the game more competitive. There's positives to take and lessons to learn, and I think it's a game that stands us in pretty good stead."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Premier League Meetings)
Matches - 5
Man City wins - 2
Ipswich wins - 2
Draws - 1
Premier League Matchday 2 fixtures:
Saturday, August 24
13h30: Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United
16h00: Crystal Palace v West Ham United
16h00: Fulham v Leicester City
16h00: Manchester City v Ipswich Town
16h00: Southampton v Nottingham Forest
16h00: Tottenham Hotspur v Everton
18h30: Aston Villa v Arsenal
Sunday, August 25
15h00: Bournemouth v Newcastle United
15h00: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea
17h30: Liverpool v Brentford
Bet on the English Premier League
Sign up at Betway and enjoy solid action and heart-racing thrills when you
bet on soccer leagues such as the
Spanish La Liga, the
English Premier League, the
Italian Serie A and many more
Win big in the Betway casino
Ready to hit the jackpot? Play 777 Super Big Buildup Deluxe now at the Betway casino and spin your way to big winnings, your fortune awaits!
For all the latest sports news, betting tips and promotions follow Betway on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Download the Betway App.