Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke, inset, says Gary O'Neil's Ipswich Town will 'fancy their chances' at Old Trafford today (Image: Ross Halls/PA Sport)
Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke, inset, says Gary O'Neil's Ipswich Town will 'fancy their chances' at Old Trafford today (Image: Ross Halls/PA Sport)
Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke says the pressure will all be on the home side when Ipswich Town head to Old Trafford today (4.30pm).
Michael Carrick's Red Devils got their season off to a terrible start with a 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Hull City last weekend, and now host the Blues in their home opener.
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Town, of course, head to Manchester full of confidence, having started their season with two wins from two - a 2-1 triumph over Sunderland in the Premier League followed by a 3-1 victory over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
And they've been buoyed further by the addition of World Cup-winning midfielder Exequiel Palacios on Thursday. He may make his debut today.
Speaking to Reviant, United icon Yorke insisted that Carrick's side cannot afford to drop more points against another newly-promoted side.
Manchester United lost at Hull City last week (Image: PA)
"Before a ball was even kicked and we looked at the fixtures, we thought everything was favourable in the Man United corner," he said, of United first two fixtures.
"There was the possibility of six points, I think a lot of people were counting six points before a ball had even been kicked against the two promoted teams.
"Here we are, one defeat after one game. Ipswich are obviously coming off a terrific result at home, they're coming into this game not fearing the worst, and they will look at what Hull have done to United and probably fancy their chances.
"It’s not been an easy place for a lot of teams to come at United, but I'm sure they will be coming in there with a lot of confidence on the back of that defeat against Hull.
"There's a lot to play for and this will really test them. I don't think Michael Carrick could afford to lose two in two, or even a point. If points are dropped at home, that would not be registering very well.
Dwight Yorke says the pressure will all be on United today (Image: PA)
"So he's put himself in a real backward step after all the good things, but he can turn it around with a solid result at home. The feel-good factor would come back. But I don't think he can afford to drop points at home, certainly against Ipswich at the weekend.
"I’d back them to win but how many times have we been proven wrong? We have seen this team falter when we expect them to kick on. So they will know what is expected, that's just the norm of being at United.
"Certainly playing at home, the expectation goes up. Fans will feel optimistic rather than confident like we used to be in the past, the team have to produce something."