Premier League: Fernandes hat trick inspires United's comeback win as Palmer stars again for Chelsea

Trailing — again — to a promoted team, Manchester United was facing further embarrassment early in this season's Premier League.

Then Bruno Fernandes intervened.

With a clinically taken hat trick, the Portugal playmaker inspired United's comeback in a 5-2 win over Ipswich at Old Trafford on Sunday.

It was a relieving win for United, which opened its league campaign last weekend with a stunning 2-0 loss at Hull — a team that was promoted via the Championship playoffs and was widely tipped to be the favorite for relegation.

After that setback, United manager Michael Carrick appealed for calm — but saw his team fall behind on Sunday to Ipswich, another big candidate for relegation, in the 29th minute.

Fernandes, the player of the year in the Premier League last season, equalized with a thunderous left-foot shot at the end of a counterattack in the 40th, converted from the penalty spot for his second goal in the 61st to make it 3-1, and completed his hat trick seven minutes later by calmly slotting home a finish. Five years ago, Fernandes also scored a hat trick for United in his first home appearance of the season, against Leeds on that occasion.

"Scoring goals is the best feeling in football," he said. "Doing a hat trick at home with our fans is something I'm proud of. I hope I can do much more."

Between Fernandes' goals, there was time for an own-goal following a shot by Harry Maguire, who handled the ball in the build-up. A foul wasn't awarded because it wasn't adjudged a deliberate handball by Maguire and also he didn't score directly from his shot, with the ball instead deflecting in off Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves.

Bryan Mbeumo completed the scoring for United, running onto a pass from Fernandes and lobbing the goalkeeper from the edge of the area.

Ipswich grabbed a stoppage-time consolation after Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez was dispossessed near his own goal.

"It's just a week in football, isn't it? The ups-and-downs," Carrick said. "If you want to be a big team and a successful team, every team gets beaten and you've got to deal with setbacks ... we showed mini-setback going a goal behind but we showed stubbornness, belief and togetherness, and that was pleasing for me."

Cole Palmer showed more signs of a return to his top form by completing the scoring for Chelsea in its wild 4-3 win over Brighton.

The playmaker was a revelation in the 2023-24 season — his first at Chelsea — when scoring 22 league goals but he has struggled with injuries and a loss of form since, culminating in Palmer missing out on a place in England's World Cup squad this summer.

In front of England coach Thomas Tuchel, Palmer ran 30 meters before curling home a shot from the edge of the area for Chelsea's fourth goal at Stamford Bridge to end Brighton's realistic hopes of a comeback in an end-to-end thriller.

Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto put Chelsea 2-0 ahead by the 14th minute before Joao Pedro added a third in the 32nd for Xabi Alonso's team.

Malick Yalcouyé pulled a goal back for Brighton just before halftime, and the visitors further reduced the deficit when Pedro deflected a cross from Pascal Gross into his own net in the 63rd.

Palmer's goal clinched a second straight victory for Chelsea, which opened its league campaign by beating Fulham 3-2 on Monday. Palmer scored in that game, too.

Brighton netted its third, through Gross, with the last kick of the game.

A negative for Chelsea was an injury to key midfielder Moises Caicedo, who lasted just 14 minutes after his return to the team as a second-half substitute.

Emi Martinez played as goalkeeper for Chelsea hours after completing his move from Aston Villa. Enzo Fernandez, linked to a move to Manchester City, was missing once again.

In other matches, Sunderland earned a first win of the season by beating Fulham 1-0 thanks to substitute Wilson Isidor's goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Leeds' equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Brentford, which went ahead through Kevin Schade.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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