Amorim's Man United reign begins with lacklustre draw at Ipswich

IPSWICH, England :Manchester United had to settle for a 1-1 draw at lowly Ipswich Town in Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim's first match in charge as Marcus Rashford's early goal was cancelled out by a deflected strike from Omari Hutchinson in the Premier League on Sunday.

There was an electric atmosphere at Portman Road but United silenced the home fans as they took the lead after 81 seconds through Rashford who stole in between two defenders to steer the ball home after a brilliant run down the right by Amad.

United keeper Andre Onana made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Liam Delap as halftime loomed but Ipswich equalised in the 43rd minute as Hutchinson curled a shot into the top corner helped by a deflection off visiting defender Noussair Mazraoui.

After the break Ipswich striker Sam Szmodics almost scored with a back-heel that Onana saved with his feet but neither side could find a winner. The result leaves United in 12th place with 16 points, six off the top four. Ipswich are 18th with nine.

"They are very good players but we have to improve physically, technically and tactically and we need time to do that," Amorim said as the enormity of the task facing him at United was on show again in a lacklustre performance.

"It's hard to expect anything now. It's not a surprise but you have to see it ... That's why I was a little bit anxious because you can't understand what will happen (until you're) in the game," the Portuguese coach told a press conference.

"They were trying but they were thinking too much in the game. That is normal. But we should have had more possession of the ball and kept more of the ball," he added.

Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Alejandro Garnacho were back in the starting lineup as 39-year-old