5 Things Manchester United Got From Beating Ipswich

Manchester United exited the league cup last year in such an embarrassing manner, losing 4-0 to MK Dons, that it was hard to tell if Louis Van Gaal would actually take the competition seriously this time round.

Those fears were laid to rest with a professional but still impressive 3-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Wednesday evening, as Wayne Rooney, Andreas Pereira, and Anthony Martial scored to book United’s place in the next round.

But what did we learn from this, on the face of it, rather rudimentary victory …

Louis Van Gaal Wants A Trophy

United’s team was very strong for Ipswich. Sure there were a few changes, with Andreas Pereira (more of him later), Maraoune Fellaini, and Antonio Valencia coming in, but the spine of United’s start eleven was still in tact, with De Gea, Smalling, Schweinsteiger, Mata and Rooney starting.

Ultimately, once Wayne Rooney scored the opening goal after 23 minutes there was only really going to be one outcome. But there was an efficiency to United’s performance that suggested Van Gaal had prepared the team perfectly.

That’s because Van Gaal knows how important winning a trophy is for both Manchester United as a club and their supporters. And with another home draw already confirmed for the fifth round (admittedly Palace are substantially trickier than Ipswich), both LVG and United fans will now see this competition as a great opportunity for the Red Devils to finally grab some much needed silverware.

Anthony Martial Continues To Astound

As Anthony Martial stormed in on goal once again in United Red I worried that this would be the time that the Frenchman proved he was fallible and missed his chance.

But then I remembered this was no ordinary teenager, and he took his chance with such ease and composure that you couldn’t help but feel a jitter of excitement as his form rolled on for another week.

Martial has responded to his mammoth transfer fee seamlessly, like a man who has been elevated rather than suppressed by the pressure that came hand in hand with it.

Obviously, it’s asking too much for this to continue forever, but the fact that he’s already showing such maturity at just 19 is something Manchester United fans should be very excited about for his longterm future at the club.

Andreas Pereira Is Now A Squad Player

Manchester United fans are accustomed to hearing superlatives about a youngster that will one day, in the very near future, turn into the next Lionel Messi, mixed with Xavi, with a splash of Cristiano and Pele for good measure.

Ultimately, a handful of these emerge. Or they’re on the cusp of emerging and then they leave for free to Juventus where they then become one of the best midfielders in Europe. Sigh.

There was always a chance that Andreas Pereira would turn into one of these players. And after excelling with the Youth team last season, performing well during the summer tour, Pereira was given his first start for the senior team against Ipswich and immediately looked at home.

Pereira played with the naïve freedom and playful joy of a 19-year-old, taking people on and always moving forward, before he then confidently put himself forward to take the free kick in front of the Stretford End.

Pereira delightfully curled home the resulting effort, to round off a perfect debut. Sure the wall should have at least jumped, but let’s not take that away from him.

It was his all round display though that suggested he is now a firm member of United’s squad, and could be a useful attacking threat to bring off the bench as the season rolls on.

Manchester United Really Might Be Better Off Without Wayne Rooney

Poor Wayne. Even dispatching his goal with aplomb against Ipswich Town really didn’t change anything. Sure, it was a neat finish, but that’s what he should be doing on a regular basis.

In fact, his strike only highlighted the fact that we haven’t been seeing Rooney in these positions recently. But it’s a start. And hopefully come Christmas we’ll all be chortling at the weeks we spent dismissing Rooney as a has-been.

The main worry though is how much more fluid United played once Wayne Rooney had left the field and Memphis Depay and Anthony Martial were on it.

It was eerily reminiscent of United against PSV, when they produced their best attacking display of the season, and was further evidence that United might be better when their former talisman and current captain doesn’t actually start.

Bastian Schweinsteiger And His Class Are A Sight To Behold For Manchester United Fans

It wasn’t that Bastian Schweinsteiger did anything overly spectacular in United’s game against Ipswich. In fact, that’s kind of the point. He just did everything he was meant to do with minimal fuss and maximum class.

There was never a moment when he wasn’t available to be on the ball, which he then followed by repeatedly making perfect passes, and also coupled by being both an attacking threat and defensive shield. He even played 90 full minutes too.

Simply put, at £6 million, he could easily prove to be the signing of the season. If Martial doesn’t trump him that is.