Manchester United ended a three-game win-less streak by beating Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
But it was far from a straightforward victory for Ruben Amorim’s team, who played more than half of the game with ten players after Patrick Dorgu was sent off shortly before the break.
Only four minutes had elapsed when Philogene put Ipswich in front. An early shot from Liam Delap was a warning sign of the threat the visitors carried, but the goal was truly a gift from a dreadful United mix-up.
There was a breakdown in communication between Andre Onana and Dorgu, with the defender having not seen his goalkeeper come for the ball and knocking it past him. From there, Philogene simply ran onto the loose pass for an open goal tap-in.
But while Maguire forced Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer into a save with a header from a corner, too many United mistakes on the ball continued to hamstring them in gaining a foothold.
The United equaliser midway through the first half came from a stroke of luck at a set-piece, as Bruno Fernandes’ teasing delivery from a free-kick wide on the left evaded his teammates but was inadvertently turned into the net via the head of Morsy.
There was muted celebration from Ruben Amorim’s team, knowing full well that drawing level at home against a team staring relegation in the face is nothing to shout about.
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But the response was better and the go-ahead strike from De Ligt was celebrated vociferously.
It was cruel on Palmer, making top saves in quick succession from Maguire’s downward header and Diogo Dalot’s follow-up, with De Ligt turning the ball in at the third bite of the cherry.
Ipswich had been quiet since going in front as the momentum swung in a red direction, but Dorgu’s dismissal towards the end of the first half changed things again.
The wing-back was guilty of a reckless lunge on Omari Hutchinson, winning the ball but following though on the player.
But only after a lengthy VAR review did referee Darren England reach for the red card.
The Tractor Boys equalised only moments later, Philogene’s low in-swinging delivery from the right nestling in the far bottom corner, with Delap enough of a distraction in the middle to ensure that Onana was caught in two minds about where the ball would end up.
Some fans hadn’t even re-taken their seats after the half-time dash to the food concourse when Maguire headed United back in front.
The former skipper had been a set-piece threat throughout the first half and was grateful to connect with another top delivery from Fernandes, powering the header into the ground so that it picked up speed off the turf and was beyond the reach of Palmer.
