It was pouring in the second half. You could hear the rain through the pitch side mikes.
While the rain was filling Old Trafford pitch and that familiar leak on the roof was in full motion, United was filling the Ipswich goal.
Bruno Fernandes came in clutch on the first home game with a hat-trick and an assist to go with it. Bryan Mbuemo scored one, and the other was an own goal from Jacob Greaves, who wouldn’t want to be reminded of this day ever. The only Ipswich goal came from Leif Davis midway in the first half.
After the disappointing start to the season, United needed to get their heads in the game. And the first half of against Ipswich they were all over the pitch and was out of ideas to hold at the back. There were some sloppy passing as the midfielders gave possession away cheaply. Tielemans playing in his first Old Trafford game and taking over from Casemiro in the #18 made quiet a few mistakes in the first half.
Ipswich on the contrary was finding their front players especially Enciso who had one of the best chance in the early minutes when he was through on goal and went one on one with the United keeper. Lammens had an easy save. Fatawu on the right was also busy for most of the first 30 minutes. He was the creator of the first goal for the visitors. He megged Luke Shaw and was too fast for the left back to handle as he ran past into the box and gave a cross that Leif Davis scored in the 29th minute. A brilliant finish, Davis made it look easy when the ball bounced right in front of him.
The equalizer came in against the run of play. While United was trying to clear the ball from the back after a confusing couple of minutes of throw-ins, the ball ended up with Marcelino Núñez. The Chilean slipped allowing Cunha to lay off the perfect assist for Bruno who scored with his left. The first half ended 1-1 and United really needed to push for the winner.
Credit to United and Carrick, they came back all guns blazing in the second half. It was a completely different Red Devils in the second half with passes and pressure coming to the away box consistently. A clearance from Ipswich ended up with Maguire whose shot was deflected and went in for Manchester’s second of the night. Even though there was clear hand ball, the goal was given considering his shot was off target and the final touch came from poor Jacob Greaves.
Greaves was not done as he gave away a penalty that led to Bruno’s second and United’s third of the afternoon. A brilliant run and through ball from Kobbie Mainoo found Cunha who was fouled inside the boxGreaves. Ipswich didn’t get time to breathe as Bruno completed his hat-trick from a fortunate deflected pass after Mbuemo’s shot. Bruno took an easy touch and send it past Scherpen.
Mbuemo later scored after running past the defensive line after a brilliant assistBruno. The Cameroonian lobbed the ball over the advancing Ipswich keeper and Greaves failed to clear it off the line.
The rain was getting worse every minute after this, and Ipswich took advantage and another goal. An attack that originated from the right side found Chuba Akpom who slotted into the net with Lammens caught in no-man’s-land.
The biggest cheer apart from the goals came from a successful tackle from Marcus Rashford in the 73rd minute. The England international had a good game overall and had a couple of shots saved, before subbed off.
As the transfer market gets to a close, United needs to get some fullbacks. Luke Shaw had some close calls in this game and Dalot is inconsistent. With Champions League nights approaching they need some quality wingbacks.
The defensive weakness from last season is still there, as United have not invested in that side of the pitch. Their next one is away from home against Everton on September 6.