PRESSURE ON! Man Utd made history vs Ipswich - now their decline means any win will do on Sunday

Considering how Manchester United have started the new season, it's a scoreline Michael Carrick wouldn't even dare to dream about.

In fact, Carrick would accept a win of any description against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford this weekend. Let alone one which comes close to the historic drubbing United inflicted on Ipswich on the same ground more than three decades ago.

Opening another campaign more in hope than expectation, United managed to burst their own balloon in 90 miserable minutes at Hull City.

A shock defeat to a promoted team was the worst possible opening to a season which is expected to provide the acid test of Carrick's managerial credentials.

It has piled immediate pressure on Carrick ahead of Sunday's clash against another newcomer, in the shape of Gary O'Neil's underdogs.

Defeat is unthinkable. Just like United scoring nine goals against the same opponents was, on that historic afternoon in the red half of Manchester back in March 1995.

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The result has been matched since then. While the times of United taking top flight rivals to the cleaners disappeared long ago. Right about when Sir Alex Ferguson brought the curtain down on his glorious reign as manager in 2013.

In fact, United's terminal decline since then has seen been so bad, the club has found itself on the receiving end of a shellacking, as opposed to handing them out.

In the shape of a record-equalling 7-0 defeat to Liverpool, of all teams, at Anfield, of all places, as recently as 2023. How times have changed.

There is one similarity between this fixture and the corresponding one 31 years ago. The two teams had gone into the game at opposite ends of the table.

Which is where they find themselves now, only this time United are joint bottom, while Ipswich are seventh.

It means no-one will be turning up at the 'Theatre Of Dreams' believing United can produce their Sunday best and plough another deep furrow through the Tractor Boys' defence. Let alone see a United striker help himself to five goals, like Andy Cole did.

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."

United had been motivated by the fact Ipswich had overdone the celebrations at Portman Road earlier in the season, having pulled off a shock win. Fergie ordered United to be ruthless. An instruction carried out to the letter.

But the result was so humiliating for the visitors that even Fergie had a rare moment of compassion, when he hoped his team wouldn't end up scoring ten.

He was worried what psychological damage this would do to rival manager, fellow Scotsman and good friend George Burley. In the end United settled for one less, but it was still their biggest league win in 103 years.

Fergie 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 were involved in a thrilling title scrap with Blackburn that season, one which would be lost.

Following the Ipswich thrashing, then Blackburn manager Kenny Dalglish reminded people it was just three points, irrespective of how it was achieved. Something Carrick should care to remember this weekend.