Ipswich Town's Premier League campaign continued with a 5-2 defeat away to Manchester United at Old Trafford on a rainy Tuesday. The newly-promoted side took a first-half lead but ultimately conceded five goals in a match covered by player ratings from Daily Mail Sport.
Leif Davis opened the scoring for Ipswich Town in the 29th minute, marking his first Premier League goal since November 2024. Manchester United responded with five goals before Chuba Akpom netted a consolation for the visitors in the first minute of stoppage time. The result leaves Ipswich ninth in the Premier League table with three points from one win and one loss, scoring two goals and conceding one so far this season.
How did the Ipswich Town players rate?
Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen, who stands 6ft 9in tall, received a rating of 6.5. Defender Jacob Greaves was given a 3 after a difficult outing, while goalscorer Leif Davis earned a 7. Nathan Salt of the Daily Mail described Davis's display as "A gem of a performance." Midfielder Abdul Fatawu also scored a 7. Substitutes Chuba Akpom and Exequiel Palacios, who came on at halftime and in the 65th minute respectively, were both rated 6.5 and 6. Manager Gary O'Neil received a 6 for his touchline work.
What was the key moment for Ipswich?
The key moment came just before the half-hour mark when Leif Davis found the net. This gave the traveling supporters hope of a major upset at Old Trafford. Ipswich's other positive moment arrived deep into added time when substitute Chuba Akpom scored. The team's defensive work was less effective, with three players - Sasa Lukic, Abdul Fatawu, and Jacob Greaves - receiving yellow cards during the match.
Where does this leave Ipswich Town?
This defeat means Ipswich Town now sit three points behind early leaders Manchester City in the title race. The team has a positive goal difference of +1 after two games. Their next challenge is an away trip to face Brighton, who are currently fifth, on December 19th. Fans can track the team's progress on our standings page and view the full schedule on our fixtures list.
What changes did manager Gary O'Neil make?
Gary O'Neil made five substitutions during the match in an attempt to change its course. He brought on Chuba Akpom for Emerson at halftime. In the 65th minute, Exequiel Palacios replaced Darwin Nunez. A double change in the 73rd minute saw Dango Ouattara and Darnell Furlong come on for Sasa Lukic and Daizen Maeda. The final change came in the 83rd minute when Zachary McAteer replaced Abdul Fatawu. These adjustments provided some fresh impetus but could not prevent a heavy loss.
The focus now shifts to preparing for the match against Brighton. The team will need to address defensive issues shown at Old Trafford while building on the attacking promise demonstrated by Davis and Akpom. You can review the squad available for that game on our squad page.
