Premier League: Man United held at Ipswich as Amorim reign begins. After a below-par performance in his initial match with Manchester United, Ruben Amorim felt the weight of expectation for the first time as he was welcomed with the 1-1 draw against relegation fighting Ipswich.
Amorim had a good run with Sporting Lisbon and joined the “never-ending” task of making this great club “great” and said in advance of kick-off “patience is required”.
But it was not even the frosty atmosphere of Portman Road where he enjoyed Amad’s cross, perfect for Rashford, and the home fans were left in silence as Rashford put the ball into the net.
Ipswich, who came into the day in the relegation zone, clawed their way back into the game as Omari Hutchinson scored a deserved equalizer on the stroke of half time.
Both teams were unable to get a winner in the second half even though there were opportunities at both ends. This was not the result both managers were obviously looking for.
Despite their outstanding statistics, United now languish at the 12th position in the Premier League. They sit six points off fourth placed Arsenal. Ipswich, on the other hand, is still placed in the relegation zone.
Such a disappointment was not lost on Amorim who was lively on the touchline as he told his players they were too ‘over analytical’.
“I believe my players over-thought things a little,” he said. “Some balls were lost by us without pressure. But they really, really tried and they want this.
In his words: The man goes, This week has been different. I have done quite a lot of talking with the media, much more than I did in the four years of working at Sporting. I am quite happy to work only with my players. Nothing else.”
Two United supporters tried to rally their fans using a sign stating the following: ‘Good luck, Ruben Amorim, Make our team great again.’
The German tactician, who replaced the fired Dutchman Erik ten hag commenced the match by making three alterations to the starting XI that was named by United’s interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy prior to the international break.
As anticipated, he also restructured his line-up’s formation into a 3ea-4-2-1, with English attacker Rashford playing as the sole striker and being flanked by Bruna Fernandes and Garnacho.
After two minutes of play, Gayle surfaced as a strong contender for best assist of Diaz or Grealish position. He crossed in the seventh minute from closer range to the eighteen nations and no one could stop Rashford’s tap.
Dressed in black overcoat and black trousers, Amorim stayed seated as the event made the corner position in favour of the United players who were rejoicing.
Eriksen, void of defenders, shot the ball wide from the region in the seventh minute after some brilliant run by Diallo.
But Ipswich came back strongly, making chances of their own and beginning to look the more threatening team as the half progressed.
In the 40th minute, the home team should have equalized but Andre Onana used his right hand to deflect an attempt from Liam Delap at close range before the effort from Cajuste sailed high over the bar.
Just before halftime, Ipswich managed to get back the level they just deserved when Hutchinson scored after a powerful strike hit the forehead of Noussair Mazraoui and went past the already airborne Onana.
Ed Sheeran, who as a child supported Ipswich Town, was among the 30,000 who railed from the stands. He was among the idols celebrating something he has ever imagined as a boy looking up to his family in a packed stadium.
It was almost just the beginning of the second sequence of the game when just after the whistle Anthony Garnacho put the chances for Red Devils on lead again, for Arijanet Muric to deny him.
A ball into backpot did not reach a laborious finish however, fooling the foot of Onana only for a moment, before a well-timed challenge took Garnacho’s passing from the other end of the swooping break into Rashford.
The score was tied and Amorim had no other option but to make changes. Jon Evans and Casemiro were the victims of the first cut of the US manager where young Shaw and Ugarte were put forward. This was about 10 minutes after the break. Yet United suffered. The struggle was still on against a side with just one victory in their seasonal league match.
Two new attackers were sent in later – Rasmus If Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee -to give some fizz to their attack again.
He was unfortunate however when Fernandes shot a dangerous free kick which hit the post on the left of the goal. On the other end, Conor Chaplin shot was saved by Onana but for such efforts both of the sides no composure was visible to extract victory against the opposition.
Amorim was appointed to his role of the six so far ever by the English club since the time its iconic coach Ferguson resigned after achieving the club’s 20th title in English matchups.
He assumed the charge of United at a youthful age of 39, the youngest since Wilf McGuinness succeeded Matt Busby in 1969.