Bruno Fernandes marked Manchester United’s first home game of the Premier League season with a hat-trick as the hosts recovered from a half-time deficit to thrash newly-promoted Ipswich Town 5-2 at Old Trafford.
Leif Davis gave the visitors a shock lead on 29 minutes before Fernandes levelled just before the break, and the United captain then took the game by the scruff of the neck after half-time with a penalty and a third goal, before Bryan Mbeumo and a Chuba Akpom consolation completed a remarkable afternoon’s scoreline.
Ipswich stun Old Trafford before Fernandes strikes
United started brightly and Diogo Dalot forced Kjell Scherpen into an early save with a curling effort from range, but it was the visitors who drew first blood.
Abdul Fatawu skinned Luke Shaw on the right flank and whipped a precise cross to the penalty spot, where Davis opened his body and swept a first-time finish off the underside of the bar and in.
The Ipswich left-back almost doubled the lead within two minutes, popping up at the back post again, only to be denied by the arm of Senne Lammens.
United were fortunate not to be further behind when Julio Enciso raced in behind on a counter-attack before Lammens came off his line to make a smart save with his legs.
The equaliser arrived on 40 minutes through fortunate circumstances. Marcelino Nunez slipped in midfield, allowing Matheus Cunha to thread a perfectly weighted pass through for Fernandes, who took the ball wide before slamming a finish from a tight angle past Scherpen.
Greaves OG, penalty, hat-trick
Ipswich continued to threaten after the restart and Mbeumo somehow missed from point-blank range on 53 minutes, kneeing a cross onto the underside of the bar from six yards with the goal gaping.
United made them pay. Harry Maguire’s speculative shot took a wicked deflection off Jacob Greaves and crept into the net on 56 minutes, and when Greaves then brought down Cunha in the box to concede a penalty four minutes later, he was also shown a yellow card. Fernandes stepped up coolly and rolled a finish into the opposite corner.
The hat-trick arrived on 68 minutes from a rebound. Kobbie Mainoo’s shot was blocked, Mbeumo’s follow-up was also denied, but the loose ball dropped to Fernandes who controlled and dragged into the far corner.
Mbeumo finally got the goal his performance deserved on 82 minutes, lifting a delightful first-time lob over the onrushing Scherpen from Fernandes’ pass to make it five.
Akpom rolled in a late consolation after Fernandes lost possession near his own corner flag, but it was a mere footnote.
