Manchester United face Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday, 31 years after a historic 9-0 Premier League victory over the same opponents. The current squad, however, are joint bottom of the table after a miserable opening defeat at Hull City.
Pressure mounts after Hull defeat
United began the new campaign with a shock loss to promoted Hull City, a result that has piled immediate pressure on manager Michael Carrick ahead of the visit of another newcomer, Ipswich, managed by Michael O'Neil. Defeat is unthinkable, just as scoring nine goals against the same opponents was on that afternoon in March 1995.
The result has been matched since then, but United's dominance over top-flight rivals disappeared long ago, around the time Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Since then, the club has found itself on the receiving end of heavy defeats, including a record-equalling 7-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in 2023.
One similarity with 1995
There is one similarity between this fixture and the corresponding one 31 years ago: the two teams went into the game at opposite ends of the table. Then, as now, United were low, while Ipswich were high. This time United are joint bottom, and Ipswich are seventh.
No one expects United to produce a repeat of that day, when Andy Cole scored five goals, becoming the first player to do so in the Premier League. Reflecting on the achievement, Cole said: "It was just one of those days. It was a great feeling as well."
Ferguson's compassion
United had been motivated by Ipswich's earlier shock win at Portman Road, and Ferguson ordered his team to be ruthless. The instruction was carried out to the letter, but the result was so humiliating that Ferguson hoped his team would not score ten, worried about the psychological damage to rival manager and fellow Scotsman George Burley.
United settled for nine, still their biggest league win in 103 years. Ferguson said at the time: "I have never seen us score more than five goals at Old Trafford. The most important aspect was the passion, the passing and the movement - it was magnificent. This is the kind of performance you always dream about, but only happens once in a lifetime."
United lost that season's title race to Blackburn. Then Blackburn manager Kenny Dalglish reminded people it was just three points, irrespective of how it was achieved - something Carrick should remember this weekend.
