24 November 2024
Ipswich Town 1 Man Utd 1
The long-awaited first game of the Ruben Amorim era came as they travelled to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town. Kieran McKenna’s side were still looking for their first home win of the season but having won at Tottenham in their last game, came into this full of confidence. Meanwhile, the Red Devils’ fans were expecting the new manager to bring the good times back to the club.
Man Utd reverted to Amorim’s favoured 3-4-2 formation, which saw Dalot and Amad playing as full backs. It was the latter who made the impressive start to the manager’s reign possible. The youngster skipped past Ipswich Town players before crossing to pick out Rashford at the near post. He slotted past Muric, whose attempt to cut out the cross was more than questionable.
At this point, the travelling fans thought the prophecies were coming true. This time next season Rodney, we’ll be champions again. Ipswich Town did not seem to receive the script however. The Tractor Boys looked for an immediate reply and a shot from Szmodics on the edge of the box seemed to be heading into the bottom corner until Onana got down well to claw it away.
Fernandes and Garnacho then combined but the Argentine’s shot did not have enough bend on it as it went wide of the goal. Despite being Man Utd’s top scorer this season, finishing is the one aspect of the youngster’s game that needs the most work on. He often gets into great positions but the end product is just not there.
McKenna’s side should have been level when some good interplay saw the ball laid on a plate for Delap just eight yards out. Instead of showing some composure in front of goal, he looked to put his foot through it but just drilled his effort too close to the keeper, who got a solid hand to it to block. At this point, you wondered whether it was meant to be a winning start for Amorim.
As the game edged towards the interval, the hosts came forward again. Burns worked the ball to Hutchinson, who checked onto his left foot struck a venomous shot towards goal. Mazraoui got a slight flick to the effort with his head, which ensured Onana had no chance of getting anywhere near it. Portman Road erupted as the young attacker wheeled away in celebration.
The sides went in at the break level and nobody could deny that Ipswich had earned it. Now would come the first test of the Amorim era, to give a rousing team talk to get his side to take it up a gear or two to ensure they came away with all three points. McKenna would no doubt just tell his players to do much of the same after the interval.
It was the visitors who created the first chance of the half. Fernandes slid the ball into Garnacho, but his effort from a tight angle was smothered by Muric. Fortunately for the hosts, there was a defender on hand to hook the ball away before any Man Utd player could react. At this point it seemed like anyone’s game and you could not predict which way this one would go.
Delap was starting to drop deeper to try and link up play. As he turned to leave players for dead in the middle of the park, he fed the ball out wide to Burns. The former Man City player continued his run into the box. As the cross came in, he met it at the near post with an inventive flick but Onana was equal to it as he made a block with his feet.
Amorim’s side look dangerous on the break with their pace. Garnacho seemed to get away from everyone but slowed down when running with the ball at his feet. Just as he looked to square it, Cajuste put in a well-timed sliding tackle to block, at the expense of a corner. You could not help but feel it was another chance wasted by the Argentine.
Delap was brimming with confidence by this stage and causing all sorts of problems for the visitors. He steamed towards goal before unleashing a shot from distance. Sadly he sliced it wide of the target when you felt he should have been working the keeper at the least. In a half of few chances, it got to the stage of the game where the next goal wins it.
The Red Devils were awarded a free kick just outside the box. It felt like a huge chance to win the game for the visitors. Fernandes stepped up to take it but his curling effort narrowly missed the far post with Muric scrambling. The Portuguese midfielder held his head in his hands, feeling he had missed by the narrowest of margins.
Ipswich almost won the game at the death when Clarke did well to pull a long ball out of the air. It took him a little wide of goal but he managed to pick out Chaplin with his cross. Two players seemed to get in each other’s way and as a result the effort was tame and easily saved by Onana. It was a big chance wasted for the hosts.
The points were shared at Portman Road and it does neither side any favours. Ipswich remained in the bottom three of the Premier League table while Man Utd moved into twelfth place. Amorim said that he was disappointed by the result but it could have been a lot worse. The Tractor Boys created a lot of chances and had they been more clinical, could have come away with the win.
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