Manchester City is set to host newly promoted Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium this weekend, aiming to secure their second consecutive win in the Premier League. After a commanding 2-0 victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their season opener, Pep Guardiola’s side will be eager to continue their strong start at home.
This match could see the return of several key City players who were involved in the latter stages of Euro 2024. Phil Foden is expected to make his first start of the season, while the likes of Rodri, John Stones, and Kyle Walker might have to settle for spots on the bench as they regain full fitness.
With City looking to make it two wins from two, the anticipation is high for another dominant performance. But could Ipswich Town, under the guidance of Kieran McKenna, spring a surprise?
To get a sneak peek at how this clash might unfold, we ran a simulation of the match using EA FC 24, factoring in the latest injuries, suspensions, and transfers. While some details, like the 2024/25 kits and squad numbers, may not be entirely accurate in the simulation, the prediction offers a glimpse into what could happen on the pitch.
We simulated that City would line up in their familiar 4-3-3 formation, featuring: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, and Doku. Ipswich, on the other hand, could take a more defensive 4-2-3-1 approach, with their predicted lineup being: Walton; Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Luongo; Johnson, Chaplin, Hutchinson, and Delap.
In a shocking start, Ipswich stunned the Etihad just five minutes into the match. Former City player Liam Delap, now leading the line for Ipswich, opened the scoring with a sensational strike. Conor Chaplin threaded a perfect pass into Delap’s path, and the young striker made no mistake, firing past Ederson to give the visitors an unexpected early lead.
The first half proved frustrating for City, as they dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances. However, the second half saw a dramatic turnaround, led by Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. Just five minutes after the break, Haaland broke free from the Ipswich defense and delivered a pinpoint cross to Jeremy Doku, who tapped in the equalizer.
City quickly took control, with De Bruyne once again finding Haaland, who slotted the ball into the far corner to complete the comeback. Haaland wasn’t done yet, as he added another goal, with Foden also getting on the scoresheet before the final whistle. De Bruyne, orchestrating City’s attack, provided the assists for both of these goals, capping off a masterclass in playmaking.
In the end, City’s relentless pressure and attacking prowess proved too much for Ipswich, securing a comfortable win after a shaky start.
