Ipswich Town: Sam Morsy on Manchester United, Roy Keane and Casemiro

“It was one of the top ones,” he admitted. “They’re an incredible club, one of the top clubs in the world. It’s impossible to ignore it and it’s one we’re looking forward to.”

The match means a lot to manager Kieran McKenna, who used to work for the Red Devils, but also to the players and the staff, who will be facing off against one of the most successful sides in the history of the sport.

For Morsy, there’s another little twist. He actually grew up supporting Man United’s arch-rivals Manchester City, which he confessed to in his pre-match press conference.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane was one of Sam Morsy's childhood heroes (Image: PA) “My two older brothers both supported Man City growing up,” he revealed. “Then, getting older, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes were my heroes, so I used to watch Man United as well.

“It was quite conflicted in my household.

“It’s a historic football club and some of my favourite players have come from there.”

Asked about Keane, who has Ipswich connections as a former Town manager, the midfielder explained: “He’s one of my early football heroes.

“Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, that sort of decade of football. At Wolves, Paul Ince, Alex Rae, they were the sort of players I used to admire and watch a lot.

“They’re all top players, but all passionate players who lead through the middle of the park. A player like Roy Keane could do everything, really. There wasn’t much he couldn’t do.”

These days, there aren’t many players who have the same aura as those aforementioned legends. One of the exceptions is Casemiro.

The Brazilian was the beating heart of the Real Madrid side that dominated Europe for a number of years. He has five Champions League titles to his name, more than every Premier League team other than Liverpool, and boasts a trophy cabinet that most players could only dream of.

Morsy, who spent a number of years studying his style of play, is really looking forward to taking him on when he visits Portman Road.

Sam Morsy says he can't wait to face Casemiro (Image: PA) “I can’t wait. He’s been absolutely incredible,” he said. “He’s someone who I’ve watched closely for the last decade really.

“At Wigan, me and Anthony Barry used to watch a lot of him. A phenomenal career, a phenomenal player. I’m really looking forward to that.”

To go from studying him to playing against him is a bit of a ‘pinch-me’ moment for the 33-year-old.

“I think he’s one of the few players where I think that, because I’ve watched so much of him and admire him so much,” he argued. “He’s seen as one of the best in that position for the last decade. That’s going to be a good achievement.

“Ultimately, it’s about trying to get the better of him on Sunday.”

Casemiro isn’t the only Man United player who stands out to Morsy. Bruno Fernandes is someone who’s really impressed him in the last few seasons, believing that the Portugal international gets quite a bit of unwarranted criticism for the way he acts on the pitch.

Bruno Fernandes is another United player Sam Morsy admires “He never shies away from anything,” he stated. “Technically, he’s one of the best in that position, but also his mentality – people only see the arms in the air and the moaning. They see that as being a bad captain.

“When you actually hear stories, you hear the different side of what a really good guy he is, how he leads and how he has time for everybody.

“Then his mentality on the pitch as well. He never shies away from things, he’s really brave on the ball, brave to try things.

“I’ve got a lot of admiration for him.”

Until the full-time whistle is blown on Sunday evening, all eyes are on the match itself and if Ipswich can find a way to win back-to-back top-flight games for the first time since February 2002.

Morsy appreciates all the hype and the build-up around it, but he knows that his side won’t stand a chance if they buy into that too much.

Morsy and Town are bidding to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time in 22 years (Image: Ross Halls) “It’s the Premier League, isn’t it?” he reflected. “Every game is watched by millions around the world. It’s going to be an exciting game, but it’s a game in front of our fans and we want to impose ourselves. We don’t want to make it a circus or think about the circus.

“It’s really tunnel vision and we want to go and try to win the game.

“You’ve got to enjoy it. There’s no easy game. They haven’t had an amazing start to the season, but obviously they’re in good form.

“It’s a new manager, so we expect them to be running really hard. We have to match that and go beyond.

“There’s no nostalgia when it comes to us, the fairytale and whatever. It’s obviously about winning games. It’s about being better than the opposition that you’re against.

“We’re a Premier League club, we’re now Premier League players. You’ve got to see yourself in that light, otherwise you won’t compete.

“The focus is on the next game, to keep improving and seeing how good we can become.”

Morsy is a passionate player, but very calm off the pitch (Image: Ross Halls) Morsy is a man who believes in his principles and sticks to his processes. It’s what has taken him to this point and what has allowed him to become so relaxed about his football.

You can see it when he's on the ball and you can hear it when you talk to him, to the extent that you have to turn up the volume on your phone to be able to hear what he’s said. He’s just that calm.

You can bet your life that he’s the same behind the scenes, in the dressing room and at the training ground.

He wants the supporters to feel the same way. Aware that they’ve thoroughly enjoyed the club’s steep upward trajectory, he wants things to stay that way, confident that it’ll help them be successful in the Premier League.

“The fans have been great and they have to enjoy the journey,” he said. “I’ve seen people say that they’d rather be back in the Championship, but that’s just not what it looks like.

“It’s like trying to climb to the top of a mountain but saying, ‘actually, no, this gets difficult and I’d rather be at the bottom’. There’s no point.

“It’s important that we all enjoy the journey – the ups, the downs. Being close to winning games and not quite doing it. You’ve got to get a sense of enjoyment from within that as well.

“Then you have those moments like last Sunday where the fans were absolutely buzzing. It probably gives them a bit more belief as well.”

Ipswich Town and the club's fans have been on quite the journey since Morsy arrived (Image: Steve Waller) That calm approach applies to this game too. For Morsy, it could all come back to his childhood as a Man City supporter, but he’s adamant that it’s not the case. It won’t give him any extra motivation to win.

“The only team I’d every feel that way about is West Brom, being from Wolves,” he chuckled. “Other than that, as you get older, it doesn’t serve you.

“You can have games where you’re so emotionally invested and really want it all through the week. Then come Saturday, you’re flat - it’s too much emotional energy used.

“I want to beat them as much as Tottenham or anyone else.”