Ipswich Town v Manchester United: Premier League – live
Key events
33 min: Leif Davis, Ipswich’s left-back, is down with his right leg being seen to. He seems OK though.
32 min: It’s time for another Ipswich corner, Davis to swing in: he goes to the far post, it’s headed across goal, cleared to Hutchinson for a stinging strike inside the area. But the wall of red shirts cannot be broken.
30 min: Fernandes pulls off a fine self-nutmeg dummy to break free in midfield but the move ends with Dalot’s cross, cutting in from the left, finding Muric.
29 min: Hutchinson looks ready to hit it … and does with some venom … but it’s too central, straight into the hands of Onana.
28 min: Hutchinson turns in the middle of the park to get Ipswich flying forward and Delap wins a free-kick on the edge of the box after Evans gets in the way …
25 min: United do seem quite conservative on the ball at the back, trying to play around Ipswich rather than through them. They’re not finding any gaps to carve through the hosts.
24 min: Davis swings in an Ipswich corner from the right … Onana stands firm to collect.
22 min: Amad is back on his feet and heads away a cross before Ipswich’s Morsy takes down Garnacho in the middle of the park.
20 min: We’ve got time to take in the replays of the first goal: it was a stellar run from Amad down the right after playing a one-two. Rashford’s anticipation was important, too, getting on the end of a slightly scuffed cross.
19 min: Amad is on the floor, wriggling around in quite a bit of pain after feeling some Ipswich studs.
18 min: Garnacho beats Tuanzebe to the ball out on the left wing, feeds Fernandes who rolls it back to the Argentinian: a low, curling effort is sent wide.
15 min: Garnacho switches the ball to Amad who dinks the ball into Fernandes’ path before danger is snuffed out by Ipswich. Dalot seems to have a playmaking role out on the left, inviting pressure before playing a cutting pass into the middle.
14 min: Dalot takes a few years for a throw-in, inviting whistles from the home support.
12 min: Ipswich sit off as United play it around at the back.
11 min: Onana is forced into action for the first time in the game, getting low to his right to make a fine stop, denying Szmodics who went first-time from outside the area, the ball rolled in perfectly from the right wing. Ipswich look alive, despite their early misstep.
8 min: United play out from the back with De Ligt at the centre of the back three in this new formation. Evans pushes forward into the Ipswich half as part of United’s press but the hosts beat it and Burns fires in a teasing cross from the right that no-one can get on the end of.
6 min: Dalot skips down the left before finding Bruno in the middle with a fine pass. The lively Diallo then locates Eriken, who has a crack from the edge of the D … he shoots wide.
5 min: Ipswich have a corner headed away strongly by Casemiro.
GOAL! Ipswich 0-1 Manchester United (Rashford 2)
Well, that was quick. Amad Diallo, in at right wing-back, launches a rampaging run down the wing, dinks a cross to the near post and Marcus Rashford beats Arijanet Muric to the ball to slot in comfortably from close range. Amorim plays it cool with the celebrations.
1 min: United’s 3-4-3 has Dalot at left wing-back, with Mazraoui at right centre-back.
Peeep!
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United are underway. Ipswich kick things off.
Touchline fashion watch: Ruben Amorim has the puffer parka zipped up. Let’s go!
Before we get going, here’s Rick Harris: “It takes time to turn around the fortunes of any large underachieving business, so Ineos should be cut some slack surely? They couldn’t very well sack Ten Hag having not only won the FA Cup but having outplayed the PL Champions to boot, but they have acted decisively after giving him a reasonable number of games to demonstrate he was progressing.
“Amorim will need time to get his style of play across and it remains to be seen if it will suit the players United have more than the whatever it was Ten Hag was trying to implement.”
Managerial news from elsewhere:
Alex Kamilewicz writes: “My heart believed it would turn around with each managerial appointment, but starting with the transfer botchings under Moyes my head believed we were in for a long run in the wilderness with no adequate replacement for Gill.
“I now believe the choice of manager won’t necessarily make the whole difference as much as the organizational changes being made by INEOS (i.e. putting people who understand football in charge) will. Hopefully.”
Tom F’s Gladiator II review is in: “I reckon Denzel Washington could get a tune out of this United squad.”
Ruben Amorim has spoken to Sky Sports, and he’s honest: “I’m a little bit anxious because as a coach when you don’t know the league or you don’t know very well the team, you don’t know what to expect.
“It’s a new life, let’s start with the small details. That’s what I want and I want my players to win the game, and they’re capable to do that.”
Regular contributor krishnamoorthy v is ready for chaos: “While Amorim could not have asked for a better first match, I am wondering what would be the state of Man U fans should United manage to blow this.”
“Yeah I’ve got hope, first impressions have gone down well with me,” writes Neil Carter.
“Performs well in front of the press, looks very much at ease and smiles, this is a huge part of football these days. Along with keeping the talent engaged and happy.
“The style of play seems set in stone and I’m interested to see how it goes, but the premier league being what it is (the hardest) I fear he may need a plan B or C if he’s gonna succeed.
“For now I’ll be watching and won’t be getting carried away one way or another.”
Ipswich make one change from the team that beat Spurs, Wes Burns replacing Ben Johnson. Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Alejandro Garnacho are in for United – I presume Marcus Rashford will play centrally as Rasmus Højlund is on the bench. Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, all making their way back from injuries, could be called upon too.
The teams
Here’s how we’re looking:
Ipswich: Muric, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics, Delap
Subs: Walton, Harry Clarke, Woolfenden, Chaplin, Taylor, Al Hamadi, Townsend, Luongo, Jack Clarke
Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Evans, de Ligt, Diallo, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mazraoui, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford
Subs: Bayindir, Mount, Højlund, Zirkzee, Malacia, Antony, Shaw, Ugarte, Mainoo
Which was the one where you thought it was all going to be OK again? I thought it with Louis van Gaal, just after he’d taken the Netherlands to bronze at the World Cup. I guess I thought it with Mourinho, too. And then Solskjær when he had his honeymoon phase. Oh well.
Desperate for that sweet, sweet ‘Rise of Ruben Amorim’ content? Here you go:
Preamble
Right then, United fans, are you feeling it again? You know it, that dangerous thing that pops up every couple of years with the appointment of a new manager. Hope. This guy’s the real deal, you say and genuinely believe. Before you know it you’re 3-0 down at Brighton, the camera pans to Ferguson in the stands and the veterans are raging once again on The Overlap, inviting one of their old mates back to talk about the good times.
Will Ruben Amorim change the story and somehow avoid all his hair growing grey by January? The answer begins at Portman Road against an Ipswich side that finally has a win on the board after beating Spurs before the international break. Kieran McKenna, linked with the United job in the summer, could well play the villain.
Feel free to share your thoughts, queries, wisdom, reviews of Gladiator II, whatever you fancy.
