United edged a thriller at Old Trafford, beating Ipswich to move up to 14 and leave the ‘Tractor Boys’ languishing in the drop zone.
It was a shocking start for United, who fell behind to a Jaden Philogene tap-in on 4 minutes after an absolute clanger by Patrick Dorgu and Andre Onana – take your pick as to who was to blame.
We equalised through an own goal and then Matthijs de Ligt gave us the lead on the half-hour mark, both goals coming from set pieces.
Patrick Dorgu’s night to forget got worse as he was rightly sent off for a horror tackle on Omari Hutchinson. Moments later, Philogene scored again as a tame-looking cross was – bafflingly – allowed to creep inside the far post.
However, the pendulum swung again shortly after half-time, Harry Maguire stooping to power a header home from a Bruno Fernandes corner. United actually looked better in the second half despite the one-man disadvantage and were good value for the win, seeing the rest of the half out.
A pleasing win for Amorim, but with several headaches to contend with. Interestingly, this was the first time in Premier League history that both centre backs scored in the same match!
Same old story – an awful start
The opening 45 minutes were nothing short of chaotic. United gifted Ipswich a fourth-minute opener when Onana got too close to Dorgu, who inadvertently played the ball past his own goalkeeper to present Philogene with a simple tap-in. The team’s defensive organisation left much to be desired, with Andre Onana the chief culprit in this comedy of errors.
However, United responded quickly. They were level through an own goal when Ipswich skipper Sam Morsy planted a firm header straight into his own net while trying to prevent Hojlund from challenging for Fernandes’ free-kick. Four minutes later, they took the lead as Maguire and Dalot both had attempts saved before De Ligt smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Just as United seemed to be gaining control, Patrick Dorgu received a straight red card for an awful tackle on Hutchinson, missed initially by referee Darren England but caught by VAR. Ipswich immediately capitalised on the extra man when Philogene’s cross curled in at the far corner with Onana again at fault for failing to react.
Hojlund cut an isolated figure up front, while the team struggled to maintain composure after going down to ten men. The defensive gaps were concerning, ending the half level at 2-2 despite having held a lead.
A perfect ten? second half resurgence
Things improved after the break and United looked the better team. Harry Maguire powered home a header from Fernandes’ corner just two minutes into the second half, giving ten-man United a lead we maintained until the final whistle.
Whilst there was more resilience and organisation with a player less, particularly from set-pieces, United still failed to dominate possession or create many clear-cut chances – perhaps expected when down to ten. This was a game that showcased United’s spirit and resilience rather than their technical or tactical prowess
Rasmus Hojlund still couldn’t find the net despite working hard throughout, and the defensive vulnerabilities remained evident. There was some suggestion too that Garnacho had stormed off when substituted just after the red card, but he did also seem to gesture to the bench that he was going to get changed after being soaked by the Manchester rain.
The victory gives Amorim only his third home Premier League win, but the recurring defensive issues, particularly from Onana, remain a significant concern. Time for Amorim to rethink his defensive setup and goalkeeper coaching?
Player Ratings & MOTM
Andre Onana: 3/10 – Really poor for both Ipswich goals. Confidence looks shot and could probably benefit from a spell on the bench
Matthijs de Ligt: 6/10 – Scored and defended well in parts, but not perfect, especially for the Ipswich second goal
Harry Maguire: 7/10 & MOTM – Colossal at the back after his poor Everton outing, and popped up with the winner
Leny Yoro: 6/10 – By no means the finished article but had a decent game and looks like he has the ability to progress the ball
Patrick Dorgu: 3/10 – Not his night for obvious reasons – will bounce back stronger after his 3-game bane
Manuel Ugarte: 6/10 – Mostly solid but some misplaced passes
Bruno Fernandes: 7/10 – Had a hand in all goals and most positive things United did
Diogo Dalot: 6/10 – Looked better than at Everton, still not 100% he is the right man for the full-back role long-term though
Garnacho: 5/10 – Creative and bright with questionable end product – fairly typical of his season and was hooked after the red card
Joshua Zirkzee: 6/10 – Had a lot of decent touches in the final third – a confidence-boosting performance
Rasmus Hojlund: 3/10 – Ineffective again, chose to step over a cross he should have swept into the net
Substitutes:
Mazraoui: 6/10 – Key in helping us see the game out defensively
Lindelof: N/A
Eriksen: N/A
Looking Forward
We host Fulham at Old Trafford Sunday, and it’s a massive game, being arguably our best chance of silverware.
Let’s hope to see United actually get out of the blocks a bit sooner – out first halves recently have been poor, with improvement in the second. Fulham are a good side, and we’ll need to be at the races to get past them.