Man Utd news: Red Devils draw 1-1 with Ipswich in Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge

Ruben Amorim's tenure at Manchester United got off to a disappointing start as the Red Devils managed only a point against an Ipswich side yet to win in six home league games this term.

United's new head chef found out what those before him had already discovered — you cannot make a slap-up dinner with only a bag of frozen chips and a packet of Quorn sausages.

Now, after sampling the first course, Amorim might have a slightly longer shopping list than he did before the weekend’s away-day lesson.

In this article, Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore analyses Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Portman Road and considers what it means for the new manager.

New-look team gets off to a flyer

Matthijs de Ligt at the centre of a back three was not a surprise when the team sheet dropped, but the presence of Jonny Evans and Noussair Mazraoui either side of him maybe was.

Sprinkle in Christian Eriksen alongside Casemiro in the engine room — at the expense of the previously impressive Manuel Ugarte — and Diogo Dalot in front of Evans on the left with Amad Diallo similarly placed on the other side.

Then mix in skipper Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho sat in behind Marcus Rashford through the middle.

It was perhaps not the seasoning everyone was expecting, but 'bake off' became 'take off' before some had even taken their seats.

The ever-impressive Noussair Mazraoui fed a deep-lying Amad who, after playing a neat one-two with Fernandes, was off galloping down the wing like a racehorse before skipping two defenders and centring for Rashford to tap home within just a minute and a half of Amorim's reign.

Pretty easy this Premier League lark, eh? And by my rudimentary calculations, the Red Devils were on their way to a 66-0 win, give or take some rounding down.

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Hosts hit back before half-time

Yet, there is always a ‘but' when it comes to this United side, although these are not the days of Nicky and co.

United ended up making it hard for themselves by sitting back. The home side got a scent of blood and, just as VAR went down after 36 minutes with a fire alarm at Stockley Park, Amorim’s team cracked open.

It is not like they were not warned. After Dalot nipped in behind the Town defence, only to hit tamely at Arijanet Muric, Andre Onana had to pull off what might be the save of the season just seconds later.

Ipswich went long, catching Amad snoozing, and Leif Davis squared for Liam Delap eight yards out who surely couldn't miss as he hammered the ball goalwards. The United ’keeper, however, somehow kept the ball out from point-blank range with a right arm that must be crafted from steel.

To be fair, it would have been a deserved leveller for the hosts as United were looking dishevelled and unsure of themselves both in and out of possession.

In the end, it was Amari Hutchinson who fancied something a bit special in the shape of a sweetly curling ball that flew into the top left-corner. Perhaps Onana would have gotten a hand to it had Mazraoui not got a bit of his scalp on the ball first, but it was some hit nonetheless. That was the 66-0 out of the window before half-time.

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Lively second-half sees neither side take advantage

United came out quickly at the start of the second half, Garnacho being denied by Muric in the opening exchanges.

Then Onana, up to more heroics and looking every inch the Inter Milan player we saw a couple of seasons back, somehow kept Delap's improvised backheel out as United once again looked vulnerable.

Amorim rang his first changes after 55 minutes, with Shaw on for Evans and Ugarte on for Casemiro. It was the England man’s first league appearance since February. The Portuguese followed up ten minutes later with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee benign called upon to replace Rashford and Christian Eriksen respectively.

Frustratingly, this game was there for the taking. Fernandes tried his best to break the deadlock, linking up with Hojlund to win a free-kick some 25 yards out before blasting his effort agonisingly wide.

The hosts also should have done better when substitute Conor Chaplin failed to connect properly in the box. Amad then had a final attempt at dancing his way through the defence in added time, but he was blocked as the Amorim campaign started with a stalemate.

Lots more work to be done at Old Trafford

Noticeable at the end was the new boss directing his players over to the away fans, and he even applauded Amad who had already jogged over of his own volition. The charm offensive is definitely a positive one, but the worry remains that it will continue to be needed. Clearly, Amorim will get time, but he does need a decent taster menu to keep the critics at bay.

The Portuguese talked of football intelligence post match, playing down the numerous column inches dedicated to his favoured systems, but it was evident that — with four injury-time minutes to play and United finally with two strikers in the box — more passes went backwards than forwards. On the touchline, he looked as frustrated as we all did.

Furthermore, the statistics told their own story as Ipswich out-ran United by six kilometres over the game. After reports this week that fitness was a line drawn in the sand by the new manager, you can expect that to change.

Ultimately, it is a case of food for thought for Ruben and no cherry on top of the cake today.

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