Fernandes hits a hat-trick to help his side beat Ipswich 5-2
\n MANCHESTER
\nBruno Fernandes\u2019s hat-trick inspired a Manchester United fightback from a goal down to thrash Ipswich 5-2 and get their Premier League season up and running on Sunday.
\nAfter a nightmare 2-0 defeat to Hull last weekend, another newly-promoted side had the Red Devils on the ropes when Leif Davis opened the scoring for the Tractor Boys.
\nBut Fernandes blasted home to level before half-time and then converted from the penalty spot after a Jacob Greaves own goal put United in front.
\nThe United captain completed his hat-trick from close range before adding an assist to his fine afternoon for Bryan Mbeumo.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not to make up for last week, you can\u2019t get six points from it. But second half we were very good,\u201d said Fernandes.
\n\u201cScoring goals is the best feeling in football.\u201d
\nMarcus Rashford was handed his first United start in nearly two years as Michael Carrick made four changes to the side that kicked off the campaign with a woeful display eight days ago.
\nRashford and the return of his England international teammate Kobbie Mainoo made a big difference, but United were again reliant on Fernandes as a difference-maker in the final third.
\nQuestions also remain over Carrick\u2019s men at the back.
\nSenne Lammens had to save one-on-one from Julio Enciso after he broke clear from a United corner before Ipswich took the lead on 29 minutes.
\nAbdul Fatawu burned Luke Shaw for pace down the wing and his cross was brilliantly swept high into the net by Davis.
\nMoments later, the Ipswich left-back had an even better chance to double the visitors\u2019 lead, but his tame effort was saved by Lammens.
\nFine forward display
\nInstead, the game swung on an Ipswich error as Marcelino Nunez slipped to gift possession to Matheus Cunha, who fed Fernandes to blast home on his weaker left foot.
\nAnother break went against Gary O\u2019Neil\u2019s men 11 minutes into the second half.
\nThe ball came off Harry Maguire\u2019s arm before he fired a shot and the goal would have been ruled out had it directly found the net.
\nHowever, because the effort was heading off target and deflected in off Greaves, it was allowed to stand as it was not deemed a handball leading directly to a goal.
\n\u201cReally unlucky to be 2-1 down, really unlucky\u2013two of the most unlucky goals you will see,\u201d said O\u2019Neill. \u201cBut then not good enough to get back into it. We got punished by a very good side.\u201d
\nGreaves was still clearing his head from that setback when he chopped down Cunha as he bore down on goal.
\nFernandes, who was this week crowned last season\u2019s player of the year by his fellow professionals, coolly converted the resulting spot-kick.
\nIt was a record 21 Premier League assists last season that powered Fernandes to a haul of individual awards as he only scored nine times.
\nThe Portuguese international is already a third of the way to matching that tally as he was in the right place to latch onto Mbeumo\u2019s deflected shot and complete his hat-trick.
\nAnd there was still time for Fernandes to add an assist when Mbeumo raced on to his pass over the top and looped the ball over giant Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen.
\nBut a fine display going forward was book-ended by United errors at the back as Ipswich were gifted a consolation in stoppage time.
\nLisandro Martinez was caught in possession by Enciso, who teed up Chuba Akpom to tap into an empty net.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fernandes hits a hat-trick to help his side beat Ipswich 5-2 MANCHESTER Bruno Fernandes\u2019s hat-trick inspired a Manchester United fightback from a goal down to thrash Ipswich 5-2 and get their Premier League season up and running on Sunday. After a nightmare 2-0 defeat to Hull last weekend, another newly-promoted side had the Red Devils […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-565049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n