Manchester United 3 Ipswich 2

Defensive confusion between Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu and Andre Onana presented Jaden Philogene with the simplest of finishes after just four minutes, but United overcame that early obstacle to lead by the half-hour mark.

Sam Morsy headed a Bruno Fernandes free-kick beyond his own goalkeeper at the half's midpoint, and the skipper's corner three minutes later caused further problems for the away side's backline, eventually culminating in Matthijs de Ligt slamming home his first goal in M16 to give us the advantage.

The contest took another turn moments before the break when Dorgu's challenge on Omari Hutchinson was deemed worthy of a red card, a decision made with the intervention of the VAR, and Ipswich compounded our frustration shortly after, as Philogene equalised with his second goal right on the cusp of the half-time interval.

The second half proved less eventful, as United stuck in their shape well with a player less in their ranks, ensuring that Harry Maguire's powerful header within two minutes of the second-half restart was decisive - and enough to hand us all three points.

FIRST HALF - FRANTIC AFFAIR

Ruben Amorim made two changes to his side, following our 2-2 draw at Everton last time out, with Leny Yoro and Alejandro Garnacho introduced in place of Noussair Mazraoui and Casemiro. The boss had spoken of his desire to see a quick start from his side, but rather, it was the visitors who surged into an early lead.

Liam Delap had only just dragged a shot wide of the bottom corner, when United experienced a defensive mix-up to allow the visitors to go in front. Dorgu attempted to shepherd Dara O’Shea’s over-the-top ball back to Onana, but as he came off his line, the ball was instead knocked beyond the goalkeeper – and Philogene raced ahead unopposed to convert into an empty net.

United looked to respond as Maguire nodded goalwards from a Bruno Fernandes corner, which was met by a diving save from Alex Palmer, and our no.5 was heavily involved at the other end as an ongoing battle with Ipswich frontman Delap ensued. Maguire crucially cleared a low cross ahead of the striker, before cleverly halting his mazy run forward on an opposition counter.

We endured a short spell of plenty of possession without significant threat in front of goal, but that all changed within a matter of moments, midway through the half. Another wicked set-piece delivery from Fernandes brought about our equaliser on 23 minutes, with his cross from a left-wing free-kick nodded into his own net by Morsy, under pressure from the nearby Rasmus Hojlund.

Then, only three minutes later, we took the lead following a Fernandes corner and the resulting scramble in the penalty area. A clearance fell short to Diogo Dalot whose low shot was palmed in front of goal by Palmer, where De Ligt pounced for his first Old Trafford goal – before the Stretford End, no less.

Our dominance of the ball continued as Garnacho robbed Philogene of possession and glided into the box, sensing strongly he should have had a penalty when Axel Tuanzebe knocked him off his stride, as Dorgu drew a diving save from Palmer from the subsequent loose ball. Garnacho looked set to pull the trigger himself seconds later when he reached the edge of the area, but Tuanzebe again thwarted him with a sliding challenge.

There was another turning point before the break, when Dorgu’s challenge on Omari Hutchinson led to a halt in proceedings for a couple of moments. It felt like that would be that as both sides took a pause, but referee Darren England was advised to consult the pitchside monitor by the VAR, leading him to show our full-back a red card

Garnacho was sacrificed by Amorim as a result, Mazraoui replacing him amid a defensive reshuffle, but the story of the first half was not yet done, with Ipswich equalising just before the break. Delap threatened to get a touch on Philogene’s low, searching cross from the right-hand side, but it was not needed, as the latter’s delivery trickled inside the bottom corner for his second of the night, deep in first-half stoppage time.

SECOND HALF - MAGUIRE MAKES DIFFERENCE

With the disparity in numbers, it looked like life after the restart could prove challenging but, in contrast to the opening period, we started the second half in perfect fashion. Fernandes floated in another inviting set-piece delivery, from the corner in front of the travelling Ipswich contingent, and Maguire met it with a thumping header beyond Palmer, reinstating our lead.

Naturally, Ipswich began to see more of the ball as they looked to level again, but the contest remained a cagey one for the most part – Maguire continuing his good work at the other end, forcing a Delap strike wide with his block and heading clear the corner that followed. It felt like a personal duel between the two, and one that our towering centre-back relished.

Excellent work from Yoro advanced on the left, and a lovely piece of improvisation to escape Hutchinson almost produced a chance for Hojlund, who feigned to shoot but there was no man in reserve forthcoming behind him, before Mazraoui closed down and saw the ball rebound off him and narrowly wide from his challenge.

Jens Cajuste’s low delivery across the face of goal caused angst as it lingered dangerously in our area, but Philogene’s attempted piece of control at the back post only diverted the ball out of play. Kieran McKenna introduced Jack Taylor and Nathan Broadhead from the bench, the former going close not long after coming in, but cut across his shot from the edge of the box and it swerved wide of the mark.

Fernandes surged down the left and looked to pick out Mazraoui in the centre, who’d sprinted forward from the halfway line, but the Morroccan was just beaten to the ball. Another double change for the visitors saw the arrival of George Hirst and Ben Johnson going into the final 10 minutes, but United remained resolute, defending well and restricting to Ipswich to very little. Hirst got his head to a corner shortly after corner his introduction, albeit with team-mate Jacob Greaves challenging for the same ball, and so failed to trouble Onana.

Forward Sammie Szmodics was also ushered on late in the contest for the away side, but he nearest they came to an equaliser, ultimately, was through Philogene, who did give Onana some cause for concern. Ipswich’s no.29 cut inside on to his left foot to drive a shot towards the bottom right corner, but Onana held on well, as we maintained our lead for a first Premier League win in three attempts on home soil.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Onana; Yoro (Lindelof 90+3), Maguire, De Ligt; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes (c), Dorgu; Garnacho (Mazraoui 45), Zrikzee (Eriksen 90+3); Hojlund (Casemiro 66).

Subs not used: Graczyk, Harrison, Heaven, Obi.

Goals: Morsy (own goal) 23, De Ligt 26, Maguire 47.

Bookings: Hojlund 45+4, Zirkzee 61, Mazraoui 85, Yoro 90.

Red card: Dorgu 42.

Ipswich: Palmer, Tuanzebe (Johnson 81), O’Shea, Greaves, Davis (Hirst 81), Morsy (c) (Broadhead 65), Cajuste (Szmodics 90+1), Philogene, Hutchinson (Taylor 65), J.Clarke, Delap.

Subs not used: Muric, Woolfenden, Townsend, Luongo.

Goals: Philogene 4, 45+2.

Bookings: Morsy 35, Delap 85.