An impressive Ipswich Town spoiled Ruben Amorim's Manchester United debut, pegging the visitors back after a quick start to earn a deserved 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon.
Marcus Rashford finished off a swift, intricate attacking move inside the opening two minutes and that was about as good as it got for Amorim's outfit. Omari Hutchinson blasted Ipswich level before the break and the hosts had by far the better chances, with Manchester City academy graduate Liam Delap squandering two particularly golden opportunities to down his former rivals.
Amorim warned that it would take time to make an impact, but he will have to start winning soon if United hope to climb out of the mid-table mire.
How the game unfolded
Amorim's reign was 80 seconds old by the time Rashford stabbed United in front. Amad Diallo, starting as the right wing-back in United's new system, played a crisp one-two with Bruno Fernandes around a gaggle of befuddled blue shirts before driving to the byline and shovelling a cross into Rashford's stride.
Ipswich quickly regained their composure, growing in confidence with each pass intricately threaded between the red shirts.
Liam Delap was denied by Andre Onana from point-blank range before Hutchinson struck a deserved equaliser on the cusp of half-time. The hosts' slick interplay invariably involved their bow legged number ten, who soon proved that he boasted power as well as precision. Cutting onto his left foot on the edge of the box, Hutchinson curled the ball in a lazy loop into the top corner via a slight defection.
United were oddly passive for large swathes of Sunday's trip to Portman Road. Restricted to sporadic surges in transition, the visitors remained vulnerable to Ipswich's superior threat. Delap was thwarted once again from close range shortly after the restart and Conor Chaplin forced another superb stop from Onana late on.
Amorim's side created little of note throughout the second half and can count themselves fortunate to have emerged with a share of the spoils. That solitary point leaves United in a lowly 12th place, already 15 points adrift of league-leading Liverpool.
Ipswich player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Arijanet Muric - 7.4/10 - Couldn't do much about Rashford's close-range opener and hardly overworked otherwise.
RB: Axel Tuanzebe - 6.9/10 - Showed excellent recovery pace to keep up with United's fleet-footed forwards.
CB: Dara O'Shea - 8/10 - Hauled his considerable frame in the way of several goal-bound efforts.
CB: Cameron Burgess - 6.6/10 - Failed to even foul Diallo for United's opener, but fared reasonably well otherwise.
LB: Leif Davis - 6.0/10 - A lack of pace was exposed by Diallo for United's opener, although he did seem to be hampered by an injury.
CM: Sam Morsy - 7.3/10 - Set the tone for Ipswich's brave display. The club captain was willing to receive possession anywhere on the pitch regardless of his surroundings, transmitting a wave of confidence across the team.
CM: Jens-Lys Cajuste - 6.3/10 - Cultured and courageous in possession, just like his skipper.
AM: Omari Hutchinson - 7.8/10 - The beating heart of Ipswich's entire team, any move of promise which the hosts conjured was funnelled through Hutchinson.
RW: Wes Burns - 7.6/10 - Skirted around the periphery of proceedings.
ST: Liam Delap - 6.4/10 - Ipswich's human battering ram could have used a lighter touch when he squandered two close-range chances.
LW: Sammie Szmodics - 6.2/10 - Never let his opponent have a moment's rest, but his hard work wasn't rewarded with any clear chances.
Substitutes
SUB: Jack Taylor (65' for Cajuste) - 6.6/10
SUB: Jack Clarke (65' for Szmodics) - 6.2/10
SUB: Ali Al Hamadi (81' for Delap) - N/A
SUB: Conor Chaplin (81' for Burns) - N/A
Subs not used: Christian Walton (GK), Conor Townsend, Harry Clarke, Luke Woolfenden, Massimo Luongo
Manager
Kieran McKenna - 7/10 - Kept his nerve after the early setback and watched his side created - and waste - the best chances of the match.
Man Utd player ratings (3-4-2-1)
GK: Andre Onana - 7.3/10 - Produced a pair of brilliant saves from point-blank range to keep United in the contest.
CB: Noussair Mazraoui - 7.7/10 - Flustered by the physicality which Ipswich offered.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt - 6.7/10 - Failed to convey any great sense of control or authority from the middle of United's back three.
CB: Jonny Evans - 6.6/10 - Not entirely convincing as one of the wider centre-backs in Amorim's new-look back-three.
RWB: Amad Diallo - 8/10 - The converted winger's game peaked inside the opening two minutes.
CM: Casemiro - 6.5/10 - Regularly chuntered forward to press the ball but rarely forced a turnover.
CM: Christian Eriksen - 6.5/10 - Sitting deeper than his midfield partner, Eriksen struggled to get a grip on the game.
LWB: Diogo Dalot - 7.1/10 - Drifted to the fringes of the game for much of the match.
RF: Bruno Fernandes - 7.4/10 - Roaming all over the pitch, trying and often failing to find space in the crowd.
ST: Marcus Rashford - 7.3/10 - Sniffed out the chance for his well-taken opener very well but found himself with very few opportunities after the opening 80 seconds.
LF: Alejandro Garnacho - 6.1/10 - A thoroughbred with blinkers on. Garnacho repeatedly proved that he can run in a straight line very quickly but didn't take the time to look up nearly often enough.
Substitutes
SUB: Luke Shaw (56' for Evans) - 6.8/10
SUB: Manuel Ugarte (56' for Casemiro) - 6.4/10
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (68' for Rashford) - 5.9/10
SUB: Rasmus Hojlund (68' for Eriksen) - 6.0/10
SUB: Mason Mount (86' for Garnacho) - N/A
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo, Antony
Manager
Ruben Amorim - 4/10 - Failed to find the attacking spark which - in fairness to the incoming boss - has been lacking all season.
Player of the match - Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town)
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