Maguire header gives 10-man Man United win over Ipswich

Ten-man Manchester United recovered from gifting Ipswich a fourth-minute opener at Old Trafford to come out on top in a five-goal thriller thanks to Harry Maguire’s header.

Maguire powered home Bruno Fernandes’ corner two minutes into the second half to give Ruben Amorin only his third home Premier League win.

United’s success came despite having Patrick Dorgu sent off before the break following the intervention of VAR Craig Pawson after his awful tackle on Ipswich winter Omari Hutchinson had been missed by referee Darren England.

 

ALSO READ ON SPORTING TRIBUNE : Osimhen is my role model — Akhabue

Ipswich immediately capitalised on the extra man to level when Jaden Philogene’s touchline cross curled in at the far corner as Andre Onana failed to react once Liam Delap had missed it.

But that was not Onana’s worst mistake of the night as the Cameroon goalkeeper started the game by getting too close to Dorgu as the defender attempted to deal with a long ball downfield. Instead, Dorgu played the ball past Onana to present Philogene with a tap-in.

However, it was just the start of a crazy opening as United levelled thanks to Ipswich skipper Sam Morsy, who as he was trying to stop Rasmus Hojlund challenging for Fernandes’ deep free-kick, planted a firm header straight into his own net.

Four minutes later, United took the lead as Maguire and Diego Dalot both had attempts on goal saved before the ball broke kindly for Matthijs de Ligt, who sent it into the roof of the net.

At that point, it seemed the home side would coast to victory. The reality was far more entertaining. Nothing is quite so simple at Manchester United these days.

Having already lost at home to Southampton and United’s fellow under-achievers Tottenham this month, and now managed to emerge with nothing from this match, Ipswich are still to win in 2025.

It is the first time they have failed to win any of their opening eight top-flight matches in a calendar year since 1970 and it is becoming increasingly difficult to make a case for Ipswich not going straight back down to the Championship.

In patches, they can be good. And in striker Liam Delap and goalkeeper Alex Palmer they have two players of Premier League standard.

But the brutal truth is that meeting the physical and technical demands of a 38-game top-flight season looks beyond them.

Keeping the opposition out is a clear problem.

They have now conceded 24 goals in their last eight league games, a ratio which makes it virtually impossible to win matches.

Given they emerged from the Championship only months ago, and should therefore be used to dealing with balls launched into their penalty area, manager Kieran McKenna will have been disappointed to repeatedly concede in such a basic function.

It’s a flaw that could prove fatal by the end of May.

(BBC)