Man Utd 5-2 Ipswich: Fernandes Hat-Trick Sparks Comeback
Bruno Fernandes’ hat-trick helped Manchester United bounce back from their Hull humiliation and a poor start against Ipswich to secure a 5-2 comeback victory on Sunday.
Michael Carrick’s Red Devils suffered a deserved defeat in their Premier League opener last weekend and were facing further embarrassment against promoted opposition at Old Trafford.
Leif Davis fired Ipswich ahead but United showed the spirit and intensity sorely lacking at Hull, with Fernandes levelling and Jacob Greaves turning in a Harry Maguire effort shortly after the break.
The Ipswich defender soon gave away a penalty that Fernandes converted, before the freshly-crowned PFA Player of the Year completed his hat-trick from close range.
Bryan Mbeumo added gloss and Chuba Akpom scored a late consolation for Ipswich on a day when Marcus Rashford made an impressive first Old Trafford appearance in 90 weeks.
United paraded new £70m signing Carlos Baleba, out with an ankle issue, before a match they began brightly as Matheus Cunha lifted over following some enterprising work by Rashford.
Diogo Dalot saw a curling effort well stopped by Kjell Scherpen, but Julio Enciso had a great chance to put Town ahead on the break. Senne Lammens denied him and sparked a counter that so nearly ended with Rashford getting a toe on a cross.
United were playing with the kind of aggression lacking at Hull, but defensive shakiness remained, with Lammens denying Daizen Maeda before finally being beaten in the 29th minute.
Abdul Fatawu got the better of Luke Shaw far too easily and sent over a cross that Davis skilfully finished to give Ipswich a dream start and raise further questions over United’s left-back options.
Lammens tipped over a Davis effort after Fatawu again got the better of Shaw, but the visitors’ excitement was soon punctured by a Marcelino Nunez slip.
Cunha capitalised and played a perfect ball through to Fernandes, who caught goalkeeper Scherpen out with a fierce strike in the 40th minute.
It was a much-needed lift for United, who improved significantly after the break.
Mbeumo turned the ball onto the underside of the crossbar from close range after Scherpen got a vital touch on a stretching Rashford cross, with the hosts eventually scoring in the 56th minute.
Maguire ignored handball appeals as he brought the ball down and fired a low effort that flew in off the unfortunate Greaves. VAR checked the incident but allowed the goal to stand, ruling it accidental.
Things quickly went from bad to worse for Ipswich, with referee Craig Pawson pointing to the spot after Greaves brought down Cunha.
Fernandes ignored Scherpen’s attempts to put him off and converted the 61st-minute penalty before completing his hat-trick shortly after, with Rashford having seen a earlier effort saved.
A lively Mbeumo saw a shot deflect kindly into the path of the United captain, who took a touch and finished from close range to make it 4-1 in the 68th minute.
Buoyed by his form, Fernandes even attempted an effort from the halfway line, with a backpedalling Scherpen relieved to see it land on the roof of his net.
Fernandes, Rashford and Cunha continued to probe for a fifth as a downpour tested Old Trafford’s roof, with Ipswich struggling to contain the hosts’ relentless attack.
Fernandes eventually turned provider, sending Mbeumo through to loop in a fifth via the underside of the bar with eight minutes remaining.
Patrick Dorgu tried his luck for a sixth, but it was Ipswich substitute Akpom who had the final say, finishing off a composed pass from Enciso in stoppage time to complete the scoring.
