Harry Maguire’s header earned 10-man Manchester United a hard-fought 3-2 win against struggling Ipswich and saved Patrick Dorgu’s blushes after his part in a calamitous opener was compounded by a first-half red card.
Negativity around Old Trafford has scarcely been greater in recent decades thanks to an often wretched product on the field and problems off it, including Monday’s announcement of a second round of redundancies.
United lifted the mood somewhat and helped quell any talk of relegation by emerging victorious from Wednesday’s helter-skelter battle with promoted Ipswich as Maguire’s second-half header ended a three-match winless run in the Premier League.
Old Trafford roared after Ruben Amorim secured just his fifth league win in charge as his side fought back from a couple of major setbacks, including a disastrous mix up between Dorgu and Andre Onana that gifted Jaden Philogene an early opener.
Sam Morsy’s own goal and a Matthijs de Ligt effort had put United ahead before recent arrival Dorgu’s night got worse, with the 20-year-old’s high challenge on Omari Hutchinson earning a red card following a VAR review.
Philogene’s cross snuck home in first-half stoppage time as Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys immediately capitalised on their man advantage, only to be caught cold moments into the second half.
Maguire headed home a Bruno Fernandes corner and United dug deep to see out a much-needed victory and dent Ipswich’s survival hopes.
McKenna’s side will leave Old Trafford ruing what could have been, especially having seen the lively Liam Delap drag wide in the opening seconds of a match that was only four minutes old when United gifted them a goal.
Dorgu raced back to deal with a long ball from Ipswich skipper Morsy, only to prod past the inexplicably onrushing Onana just inside the 18-yard box and put Philogene through to tap into an empty net.
United looked susceptible defensively but were asking questions at the other end, with Maguire’s header from a corner saved by Alex Palmer before Fernandes’ free-kick brought a leveller.
The captain’s set pieces helped Amorim’s men escape with a 2-2 comeback draw at Everton on Saturday and his fizzing ball from the left was inadvertently headed into his own net by Morsy in the 22nd minute.
Delap saw penalty appeals fall on deaf ears before United scored another four minutes after levelling.
Palmer got down well to stop Maguire’s initial header from a Fernandes corner and did even better stop Diogo Dalot’s follow-up, only for De Ligt to stretch and stab into the net.
United looked emboldened by the turnaround and pushed for another, with Dorgu forcing Palmer into a stop shortly before his night came to a premature end.
The left wing-back’s challenge on Hutchinson could be heard from the stands and VAR Craig Pawson advised referee Darren England to review it on the pitchside monitor.
After several replays, England brandished a red card as Amorim sacrificed Alejandro Garnacho and brought on Noussair Mazraoui.
The 43rd-minute sending off was compounded in the second minute of stoppage time by an Ipswich equaliser.
Philogene sent in a teasing, low left-footed cross from the right that beat Onana, who was wrong-footed by Delap’s attempt to direct in from six yards.
There was a smattering of boos at the break from the Old Trafford faithful, whose side got the second period off to an ideal start.
Fernandes sent in a corner from the right and Maguire was allowed space to space to aim a header past Palmer.
United fans took to their feet calling for the club’s majority owners, the Glazer family, to sell as their side battled on the field. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was also subject of ire from the stands.
There were groans of frustration as out-of-sorts Rasmus Hojlund stepped over a pass after great work by Leny Yoro, with Amorim’s side digging deep as the clock wound down.
United fans screamed at Onana and his defence as Ipswich took a quick set piece that substitute Jack Taylor ended up slicing wide, with Fernandes exhausted by his lung-busting work as the team sat deep.
Amorim’s men held firm and the battling victory earned approval from their relieved supporters.
