Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney ends domestic drought against Ipswich

Posted Thursday, September 24, 2015 by theguardian.com

Manchester United – and Louis van Gaal – put their Capital One Cup embarrassment at MK Dons a little further behind them with this stroll that featured a fine maiden strike by Andreas Pereira, and a fourth in four games by Anthony Martial.

Last August, United departed Milton Keynes on the wrong end of a 4-0 trouncing by the Dons, but Ipswich Town were allowed scant hope of emulating the League One club.

After Sunday’s two-goal heroics at Southampton, Martial was stood down from the starting XI. This meant Van Gaal restored Wayne Rooney to centre-forward and slotted Marouane Fellaini into the No10 berth, as he handed a first competitive start to Pereira.

Of the latter’s slick display, the manager said: “We have to evaluate the game and not an individual player. He had a big participation in the game because he shoots the free-kick in in a fantastic way. But like all the other players there is a lot of space of improvement.”

In all Van Gaal made six changes. Yet the team remained packed with leading performers, including David de Gea, Juan Mata, Rooney, Daley Blind and Bastian Schweinsteiger. The hardy Ipswich fans, though, halfway into a 440-mile round trip, were rewarded by Mick McCarthy fielding a completely different starting XI from the one who drew 1-1 with Birmingham City last Friday.

After 22 minutes United had their first. Eschewing the serial passing Van Gaal prefers, Blind hit a ball from defence into Rooney. The captain held off Piotr Malarczyk, touched possession on neatly with his left boot, then finished past Bartosz Bialkowski, for a first League Cup goal since the 2010 final against Aston Villa.

Anthony Martial came on with 20 minutes remaining and scored his fourth goal in four games for Manchester United deep into injury time.

Van Gaal could do with winning a trophy in his second season. As his team wandered off for the break the sense was that concentration merely had to be kept and United would advance into the fourth round. Yet while it was only 1-0 Ipswich still had a chance.

When the second half began, the way Ashley Young carelessly ceded the ball to allow McCarthy’s side to attack offered encouragement. This came in a period of pressure that featured David McGoldrick flashing the ball in front of De Gea, and Tommy Oar leading the midfield in a high pressing of their opponents.

Van Gaal would have been happier with the sweetest of free-kicks Pereira curled home from outside the area to double his side’s advantage. The 19-year-old said: "I asked Juan [Mata] for the ball. He gave me the ball because we had been practising. I’m very happy. A free-kick at the Stretford end as well, it’s like a dream come true."

After Jones replaced Chris Smalling and Martial came on for Mata, the French teenager struck yet again, running through in added time to score in the cool manner that is becoming his trademark. Van Gaal said: “He did it against Liverpool and now again. We are happy but still we have to keep our feet on the ground.”

Next, United face Middlesbrough in the last-16 and the Championship side will not fancy travelling to Old Trafford. "I don’t know much about them," Van Gaal said. "The scout shall analyse as he did with Ipswich Town but it is one of the top clubs so it shall not be easy. Also this game it was not easy. I am happy with the result and the cup draw because we are playing at home. We have to travel a lot so it is fantastic we stay at home."

His United are more solid this season than the last one. They are starting to truly resemble a Van Gaal side.