Bruno Fernandes gets Manchester United back on track, Chelsea win again

Bruno Fernandes hit a hat-trick as Manchester United came from behind to beat Ipswich 5-2, while Chelsea edged Brighton 4-3 at Stamford Bridge. The wins ease early pressure on United after a horrible start to the Premier League 2026-27 campaign.Fernandes helped Manchester United produce a comeback win (Courtesy: Reuters)Bruno Fernandes produced a captain's performance for Manchester United, scoring a superb hat-trick to inspire a 5-2 comeback victory over Ipswich at Old Trafford on Sunday and ease the pressure following their disappointing start to the Premier League season.United had opened their campaign with a shock 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City, prompting manager Michael Carrick to call for patience. But the hosts faced another early scare against Ipswich, one of the sides widely expected to struggle this season, when they fell behind in the 29th minute.Fernandes took charge of the contest before the break, unleashing a powerful left-footed finish at the end of a counterattack to bring United level in the 40th minute. The Portugal international, who was named the Premier League's player of the year last season, continued to dictate proceedings after the restart.United moved ahead through an own goal after Harry Maguire's effort took a deflection off Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves. Maguire had handled the ball in the build-up, but no foul was given as the subsequent goal came via the defender's deflection rather than directly from the United player's shot. Fernandes then extended the lead from the penalty spot in the 61st minute before completing his hat-trick seven minutes later with a composed finish. Bryan Mbeumo rounded off a memorable afternoon for the hosts after racing onto a Fernandes pass and lifting the ball over the Ipswich goalkeeper from outside the box.Ipswich did manage a late consolation when Lisandro Martinez lost possession dangerously close to his own goal, but it did little to take the shine off a much-needed victory for Carrick's side.CHELSEA EDGE PAST BRIGHTON Elsewhere, Chelsea survived a late scare to beat Brighton 4-3 in a breathless contest at Stamford Bridge, with Cole Palmer continuing his encouraging return to form.Palmer was one of the Premier League's standout performers during his first season at Chelsea in 2023-24, when he scored 22 league goals. Injuries and inconsistent form have since disrupted his progress, with the midfielder missing out on England's World Cup squad earlier this year.With England manager Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands, Palmer made his mark late in the game by driving forward before curling a fine effort into the net from the edge of the area. His goal restored Chelsea's breathing room and effectively ended Brighton's hopes of completing a comeback.Chelsea had raced into a two-goal lead inside 14 minutes through Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto, before Joao Pedro added another in the 32nd minute for Xabi Alonso's side.Brighton, though, refused to go away. Malick Yalcouy pulled one back shortly before halftime, while Joao Pedro inadvertently turned a Pascal Gross cross into his own net in the second half to give the visitors fresh hope.Palmer's strike made it 4-2 and secured Chelsea's second successive league win after their 3-2 victory over Fulham earlier in the week, a game in which he also found the net. Gross scored Brighton's third goal with the final kick of the match.Chelsea's victory was tempered by an injury concern for Moises Caicedo, who lasted only 14 minutes after being introduced as a second-half substitute. Meanwhile, new signing Emiliano Martinez was handed his Chelsea debut in goal just hours after completing his move from Aston Villa.- EndsPublished On: Aug 30, 2026 23:56 IST