Brandon Williams was only on the pitch 13 minutes, but he had a chaotic afternoon where he scored an own goal and received a yellow card.

Nonetheless, the Manchester United loanee was on the winning side, as Ipswich Town defeated Coventry City 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.

The victory consolidates the Tractor Boys’ second place position in the Championship table, only one point behind Leicester City. The team from East Anglia have an impressive 14 wins from 19 and have amassed 45 points so far.

This is an incredible rise and a testament to the work former United coach, Kieran McKenna, is doing at the club. Just under two years ago, when the former United first team coach took over the club, they were languishing in the bottom reaches of League One. Now, they find themselves in a clear second place and dreaming of promotion to Premier League.

Unfortunately, it was not such a good night for another member of the Ipswich squad with a United connection. Williams has enjoyed a rather successful loan so far, scoring an incredible solo goal in October and regularly scoring above 7 on Sofascore for his performances in a blue shirt.

The defender has played 14 times for the Portman Road outfit and scored two goals, while picking up five yellow cards according to transfermarkt.com.

Even last week, in defeat, The Peoples Person reported that the English fullback played admirably in spite of the Tractor Boys’ loss.

When Williams came on in the 77th, to replace Harry Clark at right back, Ipswich were cruising to a win. A great through ball and one-on-one finish from George Hirst in the sixth minute and an outrageous outside of the boot curler from Wes Burns, just before half-time, had put the team from the east of England in control.

The versatile full-back had a torrid short spell of action, however. In the 96th minute, the United defender headed the ball into his own net under slight pressure from the Coventry attacker. Luckily for his team, the game ended soon after.

A deep dive into Williams statistics for the game, during his brief spell on the pitch, don’t make for particularly pleasant reading. According to Sofascore, he achieved a 5.8 rating and was given a yellow card, to go alongside his clear own goal.

The loanee had zero blocked shots, zero interceptions and failed in his one dribble attempt. Furthermore, he made zero tackles and made one foul, which resulted in a caution.

The defender did win one of his three ground duels and did touch the ball nine times, with a 100% pass accuracy. This must be seen in the context though, that he only made five passes.

This is also not the defender’s first own goal of the season. The man who has played 51 times for the Man United also had the misfortune to put the ball into his own net on his full debut back in August, as reported here.

The English defender will be hoping for a quick turnaround in fortunes when the Tractor Boys travel to Middlesbrough next Saturday afternoon.

The post Brandon Williams endures torrid substitute appearance despite Ipswich win appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Goals in either half from Darnell Furlong and Grady Diangana were enough to secure the win and clinch all three points for West Brom at their own home.

Williams started on the right side of a backline also consisting of Leif Davis, Cameron Burgess and Luke Woolfenden.

The result has left Kieran McKenna’s men in second place in the Championship standings, three points adrift of table-leading Leicester City and seven points ahead of Leeds United.

It was only Ipswich’s second loss of the campaign.

During the time he was on the pitch, Williams made two crucial clearances.

He blocked one shot and made two key interceptions.

The United academy graduate came up with four tackles against the Baggies. He was dribbled past on three occasions – an aspect of the game he will undoubtedly be keen to improve on.

Williams won four of the eight ground duels he delved into.

Aerially, the Tractor Boys required Williams to contest two challenges in the air. He came out on top both times.

The 23-year-old won just a single foul. He registered 79 touches of the ball to his name.

Williams successfully delivered 51 of the 58 total passes he attempted, managing a pass success rate of 88%.

The defender tried to ping 7 long balls to his teammates. He found his target in four instances.

(Stats obtained from Sofascore)

The United star is certainly enjoying life in England’s second flight. In 11 appearances in the Championship so far, Williams has scored two goals and kept four clean sheets.

The post Man United loanee Brandon Williams impresses despite Ipswich Town’s 2-0 loss to West Brom appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Brandon Williams has overcome a tough debut at Ipswich Town to become an undisputed first-team member and he has now marked his rise with a sensational solo goal.

Kieran McKenna’s side brushed aside Preston 4-2 in an entertaining game which will be remembered for Williams’ sensational solo effort.

Williams was aggressive in his tackle and smartly nicked the ball away from the Preston player deep in his own half.

From there on, he went on a slaloming run down the right side before piercing into the box and hitting a low drive with his right foot in the far bottom corner.

Brandon Williams just kept running and running and running!

This sensational solo effort helped set up Ipswich’s entertaining win over Preston @EFL | @SkyBetChamp pic.twitter.com/SYjyQpMvMC

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 7, 2023

It was the goal that put Ipswich back in the lead after Preston had equalised to make the score 1-1 less than 10 minutes earlier.

It was Williams’ second goal in Ipswich colours as he is enjoying life under former United coach McKenna at high-flying Ipswich.

United have not included a mandatory buy option in the deal so the better he performs, the more is the chance for the club to make a good profit from his sale.

Moreover, he is already a crucial member of the first team at Ipswich and has worked under McKenna before, making it an ideal move for both parties.

The perfect scenario for United would be for Ipswich to get promoted and gain the riches that come with it so that they can extract a good fee for the player.

Ipswich do have the option to buy the player wherein United can trigger the one-year optional extension in his contract to extend it to 2025, thereby stopping him from leaving on a free transfer.

However, as unlikely as it might seem at present, maybe he can salvage his career at United if he keeps up his current form!

The post Brandon Williams scores sensational solo goal to lift high-glying Ipswich Town over Preston appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Williams, a left back by trade, scored the diving header from the inside right position after the Tractor Boys looked set to lose their first game of the season.

Another view of yesterday’s equaliser. #itfc pic.twitter.com/HovUBVShGK

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) October 1, 2023

It is ironic that a United left back is the hero of the weekend when the Red Devils themselves have no recognised senior players available in the position.

Williams was loaned to Ipswich just hours before news broke that Luke Shaw had suffered an inury that would keep him out of action until November.

Tyrell Malacia, Shaw’s normal backup, was already injured.

United then loaned a left back themselves, Sergio Reguilon of Spurs, before letting starlet Alvaro Fernandez also leave on loan, to Granada.

Reguilon is now himself injured.

Livewire Williams was also one of the East Anglian side’s heroes in midweek when they dumped Premier League side Wolves out of the Carabao Cup in a dramatic 3-2 win.

They now have a home draw against Fulham in the next round.

Former United coach Kieran McKenna has transformed Ipswich since his arrival in December 2021.

He won seven of his first 10 matches in charge to secure their safety in that first half season.

2022/23 saw them win automatic promotion to the Championship, where they have got off to a flyer. They currently lie second behind Leicester City.

The post Brandon Williams scores brilliant diving header on loan at Ipswich Town appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Now, he has had a horror full debut at his new club, scoring an own goal less than two minutes into his first start for the club.

Williams started his first game for Ipswich in the League Cup second round against Reading after coming off the bench on the weekend against Leeds United.

Immediately after the kickoff, a shot from the opposition was parried away by Ipswich goalkeeper Cieran Slicker.

The parried shot hit Williams’ boot and went into his own net as he suffered a moment to forget on his first start for his new club.

Ipswich eventually equalised and the game finished 2-2, going into penalties.

The full-back didn’t even have a chance to atone for his own goal as he had already been subbed off by then. His team won the shootout to progress to the third round, where Williams will hope to have a better time.

The Manchester United academy product joined former coach Kieran Mckenna at Ipswich this summer after falling out of the rotation at United.

It is a season-long loan with no option to buy for the Championship outfit.

His contract expires next year but United have an option to trigger a one-year extension.

The club’s hope will be that Williams plays well at Ipswich, raises his valuation, and comes back to the club as a highly-sought player like Dean Henderson once was.

From there, the extension can be triggered to sell him on for a fee. However, early signs have not been good. All parties involved- the player, Ipwsich, and United- will be hoping this is just a blip instead of a sign of things to come.

The post Brandon Williams scores quick own goal on a forgettable full debut for Ipswich Town appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Manager Erik ten Hag has to deal with issues related to the midfield, which has looked imbalanced, leaving far too much space for the opposition to counter which Casemiro has struggled to thwart on his own.

Then there is the question of profligacy from his attacking stars. The team has created numerous chances but none of the forwards look capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.

While the manager must have been thinking of rectifying these issues through the transfer market, mounting injury problems are threatening to derail those plans.

Shaw’s injury worse than initial thought, causing panic

Initially, injuries were suffered by Kobbie Mainoo and later by Mason Mount which prompted talks of not only adding a defensive midfielder but also a roaming playmaker in the mould of Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich.

But last night, United suffered a major blow with left-back Luke Shaw suffering from a muscular injury which would keep him out of the team for a few weeks.

Now The Manchester Evening News has confirmed that the prognosis is worse than initially feared and the full-back could be out for two months.

“Manchester United fear Luke Shaw could be out for up to two months with a muscular injury. Although United say Shaw is out for ‘a number of weeks’ it is understood his injury is worse than first thought.

“United are in the market for a left-back due to the potentially lengthy timeframe of Shaw’s absence and United are now without a senior out-and-out left-back.”

Due to a limited budget and obvious deficiencies up front and in midfield to fix, it remains to be seen whether United can splurge to fix this latest issue.

The problems have been exacerbated due to the fact that the Red Devils are currently without an out-and-out senior left back with Tyrell Malacia still sidelined since pre-season.

United also confirmed the departure of Brandon Williams on loan to Championship side Ipswich Town, which leaves Alvaro Fernandez and Diogo Dalot as the only options available at the Dutchman’s disposal.

The Portuguese did play there last season and also has experience of playing there during his loan stint at AC Milan.

Ten Hag’s potential solutions

The other option is Fernandez, who shone out on loan at Preston North End last season but is still considered raw for Premier League football.

There were reports that the Reds were mulling over his sale but The Peoples Person wrote about a straight loan to Granada CF that the club was working on.

Now those plans might need to be recalibrated. Dalot will still require backup and the young Spaniard might just see himself thrust into the deep end.

The manager can also utilise Lisandro Martinez there should he choose while Jonny Evans could be a wildcard option or the manager might tweak his system to do away with full-backs and use wing backs.

Plenty to ponder for Ten Hag at the moment.

The post Manchester United fear Luke Shaw’s injury could be worse than previously thought appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

More transfer activity is expected at Manchester United ahead of the summer transfer window deadline, with the club working on numerous outgoings and incomings.

Erik ten Hag is keen to add to his squad but United need to offload players first and raise capital before they can splash more cash in the market.

One player that has secured a move away from Old Trafford for the remainder of the season is academy graduate Brandon Williams.

United have confirmed that the full-back will spend the campaign with Championship side Ipswich Town, who have agreed a year-long loan deal for the player.

The 22-year-old will be hoping to impress under former United coach Kieran McKenna, who has enjoyed a fantastic spell at the helm of the East Anglian outfit.

United also hope the deal is a success with the view of increasing Williams’ valuation before trying to sell him next summer.

An option to buy clause was reportedly discussed between the two clubs but as reported by Teamtalk, the deal is a straight season long loan.

His contract ends next season but United have the option of triggering a one-year extension and if Williams succeeds under his former coach, there is a good chance the Red Devils can sell him for a decent fee as compared to his current valuation.

Williams’ career has stuttered at United since he first broke into the first team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in 2019.

The full-back, who was injured for the first part of last season, made a solitary appearance for United in the Carabao Cup and he is not part of Ten Hag’s plans going forward.

Williams has spoken about the move and says he’s looking forward to getting started as he looks to revive his career after a difficult couple of seasons.

“It feels good to be down here and I can’t wait to get started. I’m coming here to hopefully get into the team and play a lot of games.

“There is some very good competition, which is a great challenge, but I’m excited to meet the players and get started,” he said.

Williams will be desperate to make his Ipswich debut at the weekend as they entertain Leeds at Portman Road, hoping to keep up their 100% record at the start of the campaign

The post Brandon Williams joins Ipswich Town on loan from Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Erik ten Hag took over a bloated squad in which he didn’t fancy many players and the culling of the team is gathering pace as the window inches towards its end.

The People’s Person recently reported that Brandon Williams, one of the many expendable players at United, is close to a move to Ipswich Town in the Championship.

Now, further details of the deal have emerged that will see the United academy graduate leave the club.

The Athletic reports that the deal will see Williams move to Ipswich town on an initial loan deal for one year.

The Championship outfit will then have a choice to make the loan permanent due to an option to buy included in the deal if the initial discussions over the clause are successful.

If/when he leaves, it would bring to an end a whirlwind four years for Williams at United.

He broke through in 2019 as a replacement for a lacklustre Luke Shaw and immediately won the fans over with his battling displays and heart-on-the-sleeve style of play.

Consequently, he was awarded a new contract with a big pay rise but Shaw came back from the shadows to win his spot back, never relinquishing it since.

It left United with the same problem that has plagued them with many contracts handed under the Ed Woodward regime. Players were awarded hefty salaries on the back of short-term patches of good form, rendering them unsellable in the future.

Williams became a similar case. His value has tanked after a lost last season, where an injury restricted him to just five appearances in all competitions.

United and the player will now hope that former United coach Kieran Mckenna, who is flying high with Ipswich can turn the player’s fortunes around so the club can get a fee for him in the future.

The post Brandon Williams to Ipswich Town: Further details emerge on the prospective deal appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

All summer, it has been indicated that Williams is one of the players Erik ten Hag is keen to sell in the event that a suitable offer arrives.

As United faced Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, the Englishman was not included in the travelling squad.

Ten Hag explained that Williams, alongside Donny van de Beek, were left out as they are currently concerned with engineering exits away from Old Trafford.

That seems to have come to pass quickly in Williams’ case as Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke now reports that a move to Ipswich Town for Williams is close.

Understand Manchester United defender Brandon Williams is poised to join Ipswich Town. #MUFC #itfc

— Pete O'Rourke (@SportsPeteO) August 22, 2023

At one point during the window, it looked like Leeds would be the Carrington academy graduate’s next destination.

The Yorkshire club were heavily interested in Williams but links went cold after a while.

At Ipswich Town, the 22-year-old will get the chance to work once more with Kieran McKenna, who was a key member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom staff during the Norwegian’s tenure at the club.

The Tractor Boys seem to be intent on using some of McKenna’s connections to land United-affiliated players. They were also reportedly keen on Axel Tuanzebe, who is currently a free agent.

It remains unclear on which terms Williams would be added to the ranks at Ipswich Town, whether as a loan signing or on a permanent basis that would see United get a transfer fee.

Norwich supporters are unlikely to take kindly to the full-back’s imminent switch to their arch rivals. Williams of course spent the 2021/22 season at Carrow Road on loan.

Despite Williams becoming a fan favourite for a while, the Canaries suffered relegation that year.

The post Manchester United defender Brandon Williams set to join Ipswich Town appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Manchester United started the game well, created some good chances, but failed to convert them.

The hosts took control in the second half and buried their two chances to get the three points.

Despite the setback, Ten Hag found positives in the team’s performance, especially in the first half.

“I liked the first half, a very good performance, but we have to score. We created good chances, really good press and had many chances to score,” he reflected.

The manager’s comments highlight the team’s potential and the need for clinical finishing to capitalize on created opportunities.

Ten Hag on Romero: "Absolutely a penalty. He changes the direction of the ball." #MUFC

— Shamoon Hafez (@ShamoonHafez) August 19, 2023

Ten Hag: "I liked the first half, a very good performance but we have to score. We created good chances, really good press and had many chances to score." #MUFC

— Shamoon Hafez (@ShamoonHafez) August 19, 2023

Ten Hag also praised the midfield’s performance, noting, “Midfield played well, it was good.”

However, he was quick to point out areas of improvement, emphasizing that the team can always do better and should be wary of leaving spaces when pushing forward.

In addition to discussing the game, Ten Hag addressed the notable absences of players Donny Van de Beek and Brandon Williams from the lineup.

Their absence had sparked speculation about potential transfers, and Ten Hag confirmed these suspicions. “We need players totally with their heads in our team… it’s obvious they are looking for something else,” he remarked.

This statement suggests that both players might be on the brink of exiting the club, as they seem to be exploring other opportunities.

The post Erik ten Hag takes positives from Manchester United’s 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.