Ipswich Town suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford despite taking an early lead and playing against 10-man Manchester United for much of the game.
The Blues, undone by their struggles in defending set pieces, fought hard but ultimately left Manchester empty-handed.
The visitors made an aggressive start, aiming to unsettle the home crowd. Their intent was clear within the opening minute when Jack Clarke cut inside and slipped a pass to Liam Delap, who found space but sent his shot narrowly wide of the post.
Just minutes later, Ipswich capitalized on a defensive mishap to take the lead. Dara O’Shea lofted a pass down the right, where Patrick Dorgu attempted to usher the ball back to Andre Onana.
However, his misjudgment allowed Jaden Philogene to pounce and fire into an unguarded net, handing Ipswich a surprise advantage.
United responded almost immediately, testing Alex Palmer from a corner in the ninth minute. Harry Maguire met Bruno Fernandes’ delivery with a firm header, forcing the Ipswich goalkeeper into a solid save.
Despite the home side dominating possession, clear-cut chances from open play remained scarce. Joshua Zirkzee’s blocked effort in the 20th minute was one of their few notable attempts.
However, Ipswich’s vulnerability at set pieces proved costly. A free-kick conceded by Jens Cajuste allowed Fernandes to whip a dangerous ball into the box, leading to an unfortunate own goal from Sam Morsy in the 22nd minute.
The equalizer shifted the momentum, and just five minutes later, United turned the game on its head.
Philogene, under pressure, was forced to head the ball behind for a corner. Fernandes delivered another pinpoint cross, and while Palmer initially denied Maguire and then Diogo Dalot with impressive saves, Mathijs de Ligt capitalized on the loose ball, blasting it into the net to put United ahead.
Ipswich’s task became slightly easier when the hosts were reduced to 10 men. Dorgu’s late challenge on Omari Hutchinson was met with immediate concern, prompting referee Darren England to consult the VAR monitor.
After reviewing the footage, the official issued a straight red card, leaving United a man down.
The Blues seized their opportunity just before the break. Philogene delivered a cross intended for Delap, but the ball eluded everyone and nestled into the back of the net, leveling the score at 2-2 in first-half stoppage time.
However, their set-piece frailties resurfaced immediately after the restart. In the 47th minute, Fernandes delivered yet another dangerous corner, and Maguire, left unmarked, powered a header past Palmer to restore United’s lead at 3-2.
Despite having the numerical advantage, Ipswich found it difficult to break down the hosts. Their struggles were nearly compounded when Leny Yoro’s clever movement set up Noussair Mazraoui, who came close to extending United’s lead following a failed clearance from Leif Davis.
Town continued to push forward, and patience nearly paid off in the 65th minute. Clarke timed a perfect through ball to Cajuste inside the box, and the Swedish international delivered a low cross across the face of goal.
Philogene, on the verge of a hat-trick, narrowly missed the crucial touch that would have brought Ipswich level.
Kieran McKenna made changes in the final third of the game, bringing on Nathan Broadhead and Jack Taylor in search of an equalizer. Taylor almost found it with a long-range strike following a short corner routine, but his effort sailed just off target.
Ipswich threw everything forward in the closing stages. Delap, showing his frustration, clattered into Manuel Ugarte before getting involved in a scuffle with Mazraoui.
The forward was shown a yellow card for his role in the altercation, leaving him one booking away from a two-match suspension.
Despite a late attacking surge and a determined effort against a shorthanded United side, Ipswich couldn’t find the breakthrough they needed.
Their set-piece woes proved costly, and they left Old Trafford with another Premier League defeat.
