The League Cup is always a bit of an odd competition. Being England’s second-tier cup competition, firmly behind the FA Cup in the standings, it’s often treated as unimportant by the Premier League’s bigger teams. That often leads to unexciting early-round matches, but the constant threat of a lower-league side upending an overly-arrogant Premier League giant is always worth watching. That’s exactly what we’ll be tuning in for in this match: the hope that somehow, some way Ipswich Town can find a way to go into Old Trafford and shock Manchester United.
Manchester United vs. Ipswich Town 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
A rather lopsided League Cup matchup has the second-place side in the Premier League dueling with the fifth-place team in the Championship.
The Tractor Boys have enjoyed a bright start to their Championship campaign, sitting in fifth place after eight league matches. Striker Freddie Sears leads the team with four goals, and they’re second in the league in goals scored with 13. They’re not just a random tiny team, so Manchester can’t just close their eyes and stroll through -- though they’re probably going to be fine as long as they take this match somewhat seriously. “Probably” and “definitely” are two very different beasts in the League Cup, though, so Manchester fans might need something to hold onto as this match plays out.
Key player -- Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
Carrick’s minutes have been somewhat limited this season, but he’s going to need to be sharp and on point in this match. With his team’s defense battered and bruised, they’ll need their veteran shield and leader to be at his best. This match is likely to be played a little slower, which will certainly help Carrick play at a higher level. If he has a solid match in front of the Red Devil’s back line, it will make life much, much easier for his team as they try to brush Ipswich aside.
Upset potential -- Possible, but unlikely
You can never completely discount the possibility of an early-round upset in the League Cup, but it doesn’t look terribly likely in this case. Even setting aside the huge talent gap, Ipswich already have an awfully porous defense at the Championship level -- how do you think that’s going to play against a team with Manchester’s attacking quality and depth?
Still, this is a competition that we often see crazy things happen in, especially this early on. Other matches look more likely to see an upset, but with how thin Manchester’s defense is and how low the League Cup likely is on their list of priorities -- well, don’t be too surprised if this match gets weird.
Manchester United injuries and suspensions
Out: Luke Shaw (leg), Marcos Rojo (hamstring), Patrick McNair (knock) In doubt: Wayne Rooney (hamstring), Phil Jones (blood clot)
Ipswich Town injuries and suspensions
Out: Teddy Bishop (hamstring) In doubt: none
Manchester’s defense is awfully thin right now thanks to the injury bug, highlighted by Shaw’s unfortunate double leg fracture and the blood clot that has kept Jones out all season so far. Those woes were worsened thanks to fresh injuries that will keep McNair out of this match and Rojo out for the next few weeks, leaving Van Gaal scrambling to put together a viable defense.
Match Date/Time: Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. local
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
TV: No coverage in the U.S. or England
Online: beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)
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