Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes rescued Manchester United with a 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town on Wednesday, alleviating relegation concerns. Despite the team’s lackluster performance, including poor showings from Andre Onana and Patrick Dorgu, Maguire’s heroics ensured a crucial win.
United, who hadn’t lost at home to Ipswich since 1984, struggled early on. Just 40 seconds in, Liam Delap nearly scored, and only four minutes later, disaster struck. Dorgu mishandled a high ball, allowing Philogene to score after intercepting a misguided pass meant for Onana. This marked the 21st time United conceded the first goal in 41 games this season.
It took Fernandes’ set-piece expertise to spark life into the team. His free-kick led to Ipswich captain Sam Morsy inadvertently scoring an own goal. Four minutes later, De Ligt restored United’s lead after capitalizing on a corner. However, chaos erupted again as Dorgu received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Hutchinson and Onana faltered with a low cross that ended up in the net.
Despite the setbacks, the Red Devils regrouped, and Maguire’s header from a Fernandes corner put them ahead once more in the second half. They ultimately held on for their first home league win in over a month, demonstrating resilience amid adversity.
Player Ratings
Goalkeeper & Defence
- Andre Onana (2/10): Poor communication led to the first goal, and he was outfoxed for Ipswich’s second. Needs to improve on basic errors.
- Matthijs de Ligt (6/10): Contributed offensively but struggled defensively, losing track of Delap on Ipswich’s second goal.
- Harry Maguire (9/10): A standout performance, dominating defensively and scoring the match-winner. A strong response after a recent poor outing.
- Leny Yoro (6/10): Showed potential in attacking plays but needs better defensive skills.
Midfield
- Diogo Dalot (5/10): Struggled with decision-making but played a role in the attack, assisting De Ligt’s goal.
- Manuel Ugarte (5/10): Lacked impact and faced issues with passing accuracy.
- Bruno Fernandes (8/10): Instrumental in all three goals with precise deliveries; crucial to United’s success.
- Patrick Dorgu (1/10): A disastrous match marked by critical errors and a red card, ending his night early.
Attack
- Joshua Zirkzee (5/10): Worked hard and displayed some skill, but failed to convert opportunities into clear chances.
- Rasmus Hojlund (4/10): Extended his goal drought to 17 games with another ineffective performance; substituted in the 67th minute.
- Alejandro Garnacho (5/10): Showed flashes of danger but took too long to execute plays; his substitution at halftime was questionable given Dorgu’s dismissal.
Subs & Manager
- Noussair Mazraoui (6/10): Provided stability in a challenging situation and defended well.
- Casemiro (5/10): Contributed adequately to see out the game and maintain the lead.
- Victor Lindelof (N/A): Brought on in stoppage time to help run down the clock.
- Christian Eriksen (N/A): Came on during stoppage time.
- Ruben Amorim (6/10): Must have been frustrated by his team’s mistakes but managed to regroup them after the red card.
Overall, despite the win, concerns about certain players and team cohesion remain.
Credit: Goal.com
