MAN UTD 3, IPSWICH TOWN 2
Manchester United’s 10 men displayed character and courage to grind out a hard-earned win against bottom-three side Ipswich Town.
There may be glaring shortcomings in Ruben Amorim’s side, but they are at least showing fight in adversity.
Reduced in numbers late in the opening half when new-boy Patrick Dorgu was sent off with the Reds 2-1 ahead, a long night loomed.
United’s prospects looked even gloomier when Jaden Philogene equalised in first half stoppage time with a further 45 minutes to play.
Harry Maguire headed United in front early in the second period and the 10 men then defended resolutely for the remainder of the game with the Tractor Boys seldom looking like conjuring an equaliser.
It was a big three points building on Saturday’s comeback win at Everton as they climbed to 14th place.
Head coach Amorim believed the backs-to-the-wall display galvanised the Old Trafford fans.
“The supporters were amazing,” he said. “They just want to see us fight to the end, and we did it today and had a connection with the fans.
“Everything went against us, but we got the win and truly deserved the three points.”
Amorim added he believes his side’s defensive displays are improving while set-pieces, from which all three goals were scored, were again an important feature of their play.
United’s last six goals have all been created from set-pieces.
Amorim added United still need to improve every aspect of their game and they lack the characteristics to play a different way.
“We need to create more chances [from open play] and score more goals – we need to address that,” he continued.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, who was on United’s coaching staff between 2016/21, viewed it a missed opportunity against 10 men.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe said: “We’re really annoyed with how it ended up. We didn’t defend the set plays well enough in the first half and then the one at the start of the second half is really poor.
“We knew the threat was on set pieces and the third goal is unacceptable from our point of view and from then on, we were chasing.
“We need to stand up and be counted better. We have defended set pieces well all season, but we were unable to deal with them tonight. We were not strong enough from a maturity point of view and they handled it better than us when they were down to 10 men.
“We had some good spells in the first half, we started the game really well and we can have a high level, we’ve had spells like that in nearly all the games.
“Tonight it is on us, we have to own it. It’s not a night where we’re feeling many positives, we let one get away from us. We need to learn from tonight, we played against a group of players that showed their maturity and quality.”
Alejandro Garnacho and Leny Yoro returned to the United starting line-up in place of Casemiro and Noussair Mazraoui.
Amorin named only six outfield substitutes, including 17-year-old striker Chido Obi who has featured in United’s last two games.
Club captain Sam Morsy started for Ipswich who have yet to win a league game in 2025.
Former United defender Axel Tuanzebe returned against his former club while ex-England midfielder Kalvin Phillips missed out as did defender Ben Godfrey.
United could have fallen behind after 34 seconds but top scorer Liam Delap dragged his shot wide when you would have expected him to hit the target.
Disaster struck in the fourth minute when Ipswich took the lead after calamitous defending from the Reds.
Dorgu, who had a nightmare night, hit a woeful back pass wide of advancing keeper Andre Onana leaving Philogene with a simple tap-in for his second goal of the season to the delight of the 3,000 visiting fans who had made the lengthy journey midweek from East Anglia.
United’s response to this body blow was encouraging as Maguire’s header forced a decent save from Alex Palmer following Bruno Fernandes’ corner.
The Reds levelled the scores in the 21st minute but it was an Ipswich player who found the net as Sam Morsy, under pressure, headed Fernandes’ free kick into his own net.
United were ahead five minutes later when de Ligt scored his second goal for the Reds from a Fernandes corner.
Palmer saved well from Maguire’s header and Diogo Dalot’s follow-up effort with the loose ball falling invitingly to de Ligt to fire into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box.
The Ipswich keeper made a great save to deny Dorgu and United from scoring a third goal.
There was another dramatic twist in the dying minutes of the half when Dorgu was sent off for a high challenge on Omari Hutchinson.
VAR intervened after former Chelsea player Hutchinson was badly injured and referee Darren England was sent to the pitchside monitor when replays showed it was a reckless and out-of-control tackle.
Amorim immediately brought on Mazraoui for Garnacho, but in first half stoppage time the Tractor Boys were level as Philogene struck for a second time with a cross from the right which eluded Onana as it crept in at the far post.
There was further drama as United went 3-2 head within two minutes of the restart when Maguire headed home Fernandes’ corner from about 10 yards, his third goal of the season.
All three goals had come from set-pieces (excluding penalties) and this was only the fourth time since November 2016 against Leicester.
Amorim made a second change mid-half when Hojlund was replaced by Casemiro.
Philogene had a late chance to make it 3-3 and complete his hat-trick, but Onana made a decent save.
In stoppage time, United brought on Christian Eriksen and Casemiro for Zirkzee and Yoro.