For 81 seconds, everything seemed so easy for Ruben Amorim. In his first game as Manchester United head coach, Marcus Rashford scored and got him off to a dream start against Ipswich.
However, Amorim later realised how big a job he had to do with the final result being a 1-1 draw.
The game started brightly for the sixth manager tasked with recreating Sir Alex Ferguson’s glory years at Old Trafford, but that optimism ended with Amorim angrily ordering Joshua Zirkzee, a second-half substitute, to break into the Ipswich penalty area rather than aimlessly roaming.
The Red Devils had already let the lead slip away after Omari Hutchinson's stunning 43rd-minute equaliser. Kieran McKenna's side had come close to taking the lead on several occasions, but were denied by goalkeeper Andre Onana.
While Amorim constantly urges his players on the touchline, Zirkzee moves leisurely on the pitch. That sums up the problems Amorim has to overcome at Man United.
The Portuguese tactician has plenty of issues to address, but when a striker needs to be reminded to play in stoppage time, it shows a deep malaise at Old Trafford.
Amorim’s body language at the end of the draw at Portman Road was telling. Perhaps a point was not enough for him. The 39-year-old’s constant waving of his players forward and his fierceness when they passed back in the closing minutes emphasised his determination to win.
Amorim was used to that at Sporting, where he ended the club's two-decade wait for a domestic title with two league titles in three years. But it will take time to change the mentality at United.
"I know the fans are disappointed but we are changing a lot in this moment, with a lot of games. We will have to suffer for a long time and try to win, this will take time" - Amorim said after the match.
Amorim's personality and confidence will rub off on his players. And sooner or later, the best of them will start playing with more freedom and confidence.
While an unconvincing performance against Ipswich denied Amorim his first win, it ultimately helped him keep expectations realistic. Turning things around at Old Trafford is clearly not going to happen overnight.
The biggest positive from the draw against Ipswich was that United’s players seemed to know what they were being asked to do in terms of positions and responsibilities, but the old problems remain and can never be fixed by just a few days of training.
