Manchester United secured a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday. A Bruno Fernandes hat-trick and Bryan Mbeumo’s first goal of the season, along with a Jacob Greaves own goal helped Michael Carrick’s team register their first win of the campaign.
The Red Devils arrived at the game on the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the hands of Hull City last weekend. The result was met with severe criticism from all quarters, although Carrick was quick to rubbish suggestions that United lacked commitment against the Tigers.
The Englishman, however, certainly felt that the performance needed improvement, as was evident with his team selection for Sunday’s game. The Red Devils made four changes to the starting XI that suffered defeat at the MKM Stadium.
Diogo Dalot and Lisandro Martinez replaced Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven in defence respectively. Kobbie Mainoo came in for Andrey Santos, partnering Youri Tielemans in the middle of the park.
In attack, Marcus Rashford started a Premier League game at Old Trafford for the first time since December 2024. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo kept their place, as Benjamin Sesko started from the bench once again.
United secure first win of the season
United started the game well, but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 29th minute through Leif Davies. If home fans were getting a feeling of déjà vu after the opening day defeat to Hull City, their fears were allayed just ahead of the break.
Cunha took advantage of a slip by Marcelino Nunez to set up Bruno Fernandes, who scored past Kjell Scherpen to restore parity. The hosts went into the break with the score 1-1, with Carrick having work to do.
United stepped up a gear after the break, and their perseverance paid off in the 56th minute, when Maguire’s shot was directed into the back of the net by Jacob Greaves. The Ipswich No. 24 brought Cunha down in the box soon after, and Fernandes converted the resulting penalty kick to extend his team’s lead.
However, the hosts were not done yet and continued to pile the pressure on the Tractor Boys. A deflected Mbeumo strike fell kindly to Fernandes in the 68th minute, who scored to complete his hat-trick. The Portuguese, though, had another trick up his sleeve and set up Mbeumo in the 82nd minute to mark a complete performance.
Fernandes masterminds comeback win
Fernandes was subdued against Hull City but provided the perfect response at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Portuguese played the entire 90 minutes, registering 90 touches of the ball.
Fernandes attempted 63 passes, completing 54 of them with an 86% passing accuracy. The United skipper registered eight crosses, four of which found their intended targets and also completed six of his 10 attempted long balls.
Most importantly, Fernandes also had three key passes in the game and created one big chance. The 31 year old had four shots, three of which were on target, while he also had four others shots blocked. Fernandes also registered two successful dribbles.
The Portuguese maestro did not shy away from the dirty work either, winning three of his seven duels and registering one interception and one tackle. While he was dribbled past once and lost possession 18 times, Fernandes made it count where it mattered most, helping his team pick up all three points.
Bruno Fernandes Stats vs Ipswich Town
| Statistic | Bruno Fernandes |
|---|---|
| Minutes | 90 |
| Touches | 90 |
| Accurate passes | 54/63 (86%) |
| Key passes | 3 |
| Crosses (accurate) | 8 (4) |
| Long balls (accurate) | 10 (6) |
| Shots on target | 3 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.95 |
| Shots off target | 1 |
| Shots blocked | 4 |
| Dribbles (successful) | 3 (2) |
| Defensive actions | 3 |
| Clearances | 0 |
| Blocked shots | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Tackles (won) | 1 |
| Dribbled past | - |
| Duels (won) | 7 (3) |
| Ground duels (won) | 7 (3) |
| Aerial duels (won) | - |
| Possession lost | 18 |
| Fouls | 1 |
| Was fouled | - |
| Notes | Big chances created: 1 |
Source: Sofascore.
Final Thoughts
United’s first win of the season will settle a lot of nerves and give the team the confidence that they desperately need. It will also serve as a reminder of Bruno Fernandes’ importance to the team, so INEOS should step up the renewal process.
Featured image by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
