Pep Guardiola Says Manchester United Still Have a Big Chance of Winning the Premier League After Defeating Ipswich Town.
Manchester United’s emphatic 5–2 victory over Ipswich Town has sparked renewed belief around Old Trafford, with former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly acknowledging that Michael Carrick’s side still have a major chance of challenging for the Premier League title this season.
The Red Devils entered the encounter under significant pressure after suffering a disappointing 2–0 defeat against newly promoted Hull City on the opening weekend. However, their response against Ipswich was emphatic. United produced one of their most impressive attacking performances of the young campaign, scoring five goals and showing the kind of attacking quality and confidence that supporters had been demanding.
According to the reported comments attributed to Guardiola, the former Manchester City boss believes United should not be written off despite their difficult start. He reportedly considers the victory over Ipswich an important statement of intent and believes the Premier League title race could develop into a much more competitive battle than many expected.
“Manchester United still have a big chance of winning the Premier League,” Guardiola is reported to have said. “It is still very early. They have quality, they have experienced players and, after a result like this, confidence can change everything.”
The comments have immediately attracted attention because of Guardiola’s long association with Manchester City and his historic rivalry with Manchester United. During his decade at City, Guardiola was one of the central figures in the modern Manchester rivalry, overseeing one of the most dominant periods in Premier League history.
However, the 2026/27 campaign represents a completely different era. Guardiola has left Manchester City after a decade in charge, bringing an end to a trophy-laden spell that included multiple Premier League titles. City are now entering their first season of the post-Guardiola era.
That makes any reported praise for Manchester United particularly interesting.
United Respond in Style After Hull Defeat
Manchester United’s opening-day defeat against Hull City had created immediate doubts about their ability to compete near the top of the table.
Carrick’s team were expected to respond strongly, but few would have predicted such a convincing attacking display against Ipswich.
The 5–2 victory changed the mood almost immediately.
United looked considerably more confident in possession, attacked with greater speed and created repeated problems for the Ipswich defence. Their forwards were more aggressive, while the midfield showed greater authority as the match progressed.
Most importantly, United demonstrated character.
After losing their first league match, the players could have allowed pressure to increase. Instead, they responded with goals, energy and attacking football.
That response is exactly why the reported Guardiola comments have generated so much discussion.
A title-winning team does not necessarily have to begin the season perfectly. What matters is how quickly it responds when things go wrong.
United have already shown that they can recover from disappointment.
Bruno Fernandes Leads the Charge
One of the biggest positives from the Ipswich victory was the performance of Bruno Fernandes.
The Manchester United captain was at the centre of the team’s attacking display, producing the kind of performance that reminded supporters why he remains one of the club’s most important players.
Fernandes’ leadership will be crucial if United are genuinely going to challenge for the title.
The Premier League is a marathon rather than a sprint, and United will need their senior players to maintain high standards throughout the campaign.
Fernandes has the experience to understand the pressure that comes with playing for Manchester United. He also understands that a single outstanding performance means very little if it is not followed by consistency.
The victory over Ipswich therefore represents the beginning of a challenge rather than the completion of one.
Carrick Has an Opportunity to Change United’s Story
Michael Carrick’s appointment has created an interesting storyline at Manchester United.
The former United midfielder took over during the previous campaign and helped stabilize the club after a difficult period. His performances as interim manager eventually convinced the club to give him a longer-term opportunity.
Now he has the responsibility of turning United from a team capable of producing impressive performances into a team capable of challenging consistently for major honours.
That will not be easy.
United must deal with the pressure of playing European football while competing in the Premier League. They must also navigate difficult matches against Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle and other ambitious teams.
Nevertheless, Carrick now has something extremely valuable: momentum.
The victory over Ipswich could provide the confidence needed to build a strong run of results.
The Premier League Title Race Is Wide Open
Arsenal enter the 2026/27 season as defending champions after winning the previous campaign, meaning Mikel Arteta’s team naturally remain among the favourites.
Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are also expected to compete for the major positions.
That makes Guardiola’s reported assessment particularly significant.
If United can transform the Ipswich victory into a consistent run, they could quickly move themselves into the conversation.
The biggest challenge will be consistency.
Winning one match by five goals is impressive. Winning week after week against different opponents is what ultimately separates title challengers from genuine champions.
United will therefore have to prove that the Ipswich performance was not an isolated moment.
Their next Premier League assignment is away to Everton on September 6, before they face Manchester City in the first Manchester derby of the campaign on September 12.
Those matches could provide a much clearer indication of United’s ambitions.
The Manchester Derby Could Be a Major Test
The upcoming Manchester derby is already attracting considerable attention.
For years, the derby was heavily influenced by Guardiola’s presence on the City bench. This time, however, City will enter the fixture without the manager who oversaw so many battles against United.
That makes the match even more intriguing.
United will want to demonstrate that their improvement is genuine, while City’s new era will be tested against one of their biggest rivals.
A strong performance against City would send an even bigger message than the victory over Ipswich.
It would show that United can compete against one of the strongest squads in the country and handle the pressure of a major Premier League fixture.
For Carrick, it could become one of the defining moments of the early part of his managerial career.
Guardiola’s Respect for United
Although the rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City remains intense, Guardiola has always understood the significance of the red side of Manchester.
United remain one of the biggest clubs in world football, and their history gives them an advantage that few clubs can match.
They have the supporters, the commercial strength, the stadium, the global reputation and the expectation associated with being Manchester United.
The biggest question has been whether they can once again translate those advantages into sustained success on the pitch.
According to the reported comments, Guardiola believes they can.
His reported assessment is essentially a warning to the rest of the Premier League: United should not be dismissed simply because they suffered an early defeat.
Why the Ipswich Victory Could Be Important
The importance of the Ipswich victory goes beyond the three points.
United needed confidence.
They needed goals.
They needed their attacking players to feel dangerous again.
They needed supporters to believe.
The 5–2 result provided all four.
The players now have evidence that Carrick’s approach can produce attacking football and that they can respond after a disappointing result.
That psychological boost could prove extremely important.
Football teams often develop momentum from a single convincing victory. Confidence grows when players begin to trust one another, chances start going in and supporters become more optimistic.
United will now hope that the Ipswich match becomes the foundation for something much bigger.
United Cannot Afford Another Slow Start
Despite the optimism, there is still plenty of work to do.
United cannot afford to alternate between excellent performances and disappointing results if they want to challenge Arsenal and the other title contenders.
The defeat against Hull demonstrated that there are still weaknesses that opponents can exploit.
Carrick must therefore make sure his team remains defensively disciplined while preserving the attacking freedom that produced five goals against Ipswich.
That balance will be crucial.
Title-winning teams are not simply excellent going forward. They also know how to control matches, protect leads and collect points when they are not playing at their best.
United will eventually have to win difficult matches 1–0 or 2–1.
They will have to survive difficult away games.
They will have to respond to injuries.
They will have to handle pressure during periods when results are not going their way.
That is where the real test of Carrick’s management will come.
A New Manchester United Belief
For supporters, however, the mood has changed dramatically.
Only days after the disappointment against Hull, United supporters watched their team score five goals against Ipswich.
The performance has created a sense that this could be the beginning of something special.
And if Guardiola’s reported assessment is accurate, the former City boss believes United have enough quality to remain in the title conversation.
Whether they actually win the Premier League remains impossible to predict at this stage.
The season is still in its early weeks, and there will be plenty of twists and turns before the final weeks of the campaign.
But one thing is certain: Manchester United cannot be ignored.
The Red Devils have already shown that they can respond to adversity.
Now Carrick must turn that response into consistency.
If United can build on the Ipswich victory, collect maximum points against Everton, perform strongly in the Manchester derby and continue improving throughout the autumn, the conversation around their title ambitions will become much louder.
For now, the message from the reported Guardiola comments is simple.
Manchester United still have a chance.
A big chance, according to the former Manchester City manager.
And after the 5–2 demolition of Ipswich Town, Carrick’s side will believe that chance is becoming more realistic with every passing week.