Bruno Fernandes hat-trick powers Manchester United to 5-2 win

Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick as Manchester United came from behind to beat Ipswich 5-2 in the Premier League. Chelsea also defeated Brighton 4-3, with Cole Palmer scoring, while Sunderland secured their first victory of the season

London: — Trailing — again — to a promoted team, Manchester United was facing further embarrassment early in this season’s Premier League.

Then Bruno Fernandes intervened.

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With a clinically taken hat-trick, the Portugal playmaker inspired United’s comeback in a 5-2 win over Ipswich at Old Trafford on Sunday.

It was a relieving win for United, which opened its league campaign last weekend with a stunning 2-0 loss at Hull — a team that was promoted via the Championship playoffs and was widely tipped to be the favourite for relegation.

After that setback, United manager Michael Carrick appealed for calm — but saw his team fall behind to Ipswich, another big candidate for relegation, in the 29th minute.

Fernandes, the Premier League Player of the Year last season, equalised with a thunderous left-foot shot at the end of a counterattack in the 40th minute, converted from the penalty spot for his second goal in the 61st to make it 3-1, and completed his hat-trick seven minutes later by calmly slotting home.

In between, there was time for an own goal following a shot by Harry Maguire, who handled the ball in the build-up. A foul was not awarded for handball only because Maguire did not score directly from his shot, with the ball instead deflecting off Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves.

Bryan Mbeumo completed the scoring for United, running on to a pass from Fernandes and lobbing the goalkeeper from the edge of the area.

Ipswich grabbed a stoppage-time consolation after Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez was dispossessed near his own goal.

Revitalised Cole Palmer stars for Chelsea
Cole Palmer showed more signs of a return to his top form by completing the scoring for Chelsea in its wild 4-3 win over Brighton.

The playmaker was a revelation in the 2023-24 season — his first at Chelsea — when he scored 22 league goals, but he has struggled with injuries and a loss of form since, culminating in Palmer missing out on a place in England’s World Cup squad this summer.

In front of England coach Thomas Tuchel, Palmer ran 30 metres before curling home a shot from the edge of the area for Chelsea’s fourth goal at Stamford Bridge to end Brighton’s realistic hopes of a comeback in an end-to-end thriller.

Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto put Chelsea 2-0 ahead by the 14th minute before Joao Pedro added a third in the 32nd for Xabi Alonso’s team.

Malick Yalcouyé pulled a goal back for Brighton just before half-time, and the visitors further reduced the deficit when Pedro deflected a cross from Pascal Gross into his own net in the 63rd.

Palmer’s goal clinched a second straight victory for Chelsea, which opened its league campaign by beating Fulham 3-2 on Monday. Palmer scored in that game, too.

Brighton netted its third, through Gross, with the last kick of the game.

A negative for Chelsea was an injury to key midfielder Moises Caicedo, who lasted just 14 minutes after his return to the team as a second-half substitute.

Emi Martinez played as goalkeeper for Chelsea hours after completing his move from Aston Villa.

Sunderland grabs first win
In other matches, Sunderland earned its first win of the season by beating Fulham 1-0 thanks to substitute Wilson Isidor’s goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Leeds’ equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Brentford, which went ahead through Kevin Schade.