Bruno Fernandes’s 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 on the ropes when Leif Davis opened the scoring for the Tractor Boys.

But 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.

The United captain completed his hat-trick from close range before adding an assist to his fine afternoon for Bryan Mbeumo.

“It’s not to make up for last week, you can’t get six points from it. But second half we were very good,” said Fernandes.

“Scoring goals is the best feeling in football.”

Marcus 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.

Rashford 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.

Questions also remain over Carrick’s men at the back.

Senne 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.

Abdul Fatawu burned Luke Shaw for pace down the wing and his cross was brilliantly swept high into the net by Davis.

Moments later, the Ipswich left-back had an even better chance to double the visitors’ lead, but his tame effort was saved by Lammens.

Fine forward display

Instead, 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.

Another break went against Gary O’Neil’s men 11 minutes into the second half.

The ball came off Harry Maguire’s arm before he fired a shot and the goal would have been ruled out had it directly found the net.

However, 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.

“Really unlucky to be 2-1 down, really unlucky – two of the most unlucky goals you will see,” said O’Neill. “But then not good enough to get back into it. We got punished by a very good side.”

Greaves was still clearing his head from that setback when he chopped down Cunha as he bore down on goal.

Fernandes, who was this week crowned last season’s player of the year by his fellow professionals, coolly converted the resulting spot-kick.

It was a record 21 Premier League assists last season that powered Fernandes to a haul of individual awards as he only scored nine times.

The Portuguese international is already a third of the way to matching that tally as he was in the right place to latch onto Mbeumo’s deflected shot and complete his hat-trick.

And 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.

But a fine display going forward was book-ended by United errors at the back as Ipswich were gifted a consolation in stoppage time.

Lisandro Martinez was caught in possession by Enciso, who teed up Chuba Akpom to tap into an empty net.

Ailing Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in 20 years on Sunday, falling in five brutal sets to Mariano Navone in the first round of the US Open.

The 48th-ranked Argentine’s 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory ended Djokovic’s latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title, the monumental achievement looking ever less likely for the 39-year-old.

It also ended his run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories, a streak stretching all the way back to Djokovic’s 2006 loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.

“I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me,” said Djokovic, who vomited several times and battled late-match cramps.

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.

“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, I couldn’t close it out.”

Djokovic, who took medication during the match, appeared to have finally taken control when he broke Navone for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set with a vintage backhand winner down the line.

But Navone won the next five games, raising his arms in celebration after fighting off two break points for a 5-2 lead and breaking Djokovic again to force the fifth.

Djokovic took a medical timeout before the final set, receiving massage on his spine and more medication.

But Navone jumped to a 3-0 lead in the decisive set and despite the urging of fans there was no road back for the Serb as his opponent dropped just one point on his own serve as he sprinted to the finish line.

Djokovic, a four-time US Open champion, had never lost before the third round in Flushing Meadows, but he’d shown signs of frailty in his only tune-up, struggling physically in losing his opening match in Cincinnati.

Even as he grabbed a 4-1 lead in the first set Djokovic was clearly not himself. Every rally left him gasping, and he finally surrendered the set with a dismal forehand into the net.

In a tense second set Djokovic missed break chances in the third and fifth games before breaking Navone at love for a 6-5 lead and holding at love to level the match at one set apiece.

The third set was more of the same, Djokovic seizing the crucial break in the ninth game and fending off a break point in the next for a two sets to one lead.

That put paid to any thought he’d had of retiring.

“I have, I have,” he said when asked if he’d thought of throwing in the towel. “But then I won a set and then the third. I didn’t want to give up.”

Determination wasn’t enough. He was 2-1 up in the fourth set when the cramps struck and lost eight games in a row.

Pegula, Medvedev advance

Djokovic departed to cheers nearly 12 hours after world number three Jessica Pegula conquered her first-round nerves to dispatch Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2.

Pegula broke Romania’s Ruse twice in each set, but it was less straightforward than the score indicated as the 32-year-old veteran felt the weight of opening the action on the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Oh yeah, I was so nervous today, always the first round of a slam,” said Pegula, who has won two titles this year and reached three other finals.

Her consistent high level means she could capture not only a first Grand Slam title but also the world number one ranking.

Seventh-seeded former champion Daniil Medvedev also advanced with a serene 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over France’s Hugo Gaston.

It was a far cry from Medvedev’s meltdown in a first-round loss last year and a heartening performance in another year of mixed results for the Russian.

“I felt like I did everything I wanted to do well,” he said.

But there was plenty of drama elsewhere.

Dino Prizmic saved two match points in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Aleksandr Shevchenko.

And Spaniard Jaume Munar needed nearly five hours to secure a 6-7 (5/7), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 victory over Frenchman Terence Atmane.

India opened their Women’s T20 Asia Cup campaign with a 94-run victory over Thailand on Sunday, despite a late batting collapse after Shafali Verma’s explosive half-century.

Third-ranked India raced to 159-9 after being 113-1, with opener Shafali anchoring the innings with a blistering 64 off 36 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.

Thailand fought back through Suleeporn Laomi, who took 3-26, while Sunida Chaturongrattana claimed 2-31 and Chanida Sutthiruang 1-14.

Shafali fell to a return catch off Laomi during the collapse as India lost eight wickets for 46 runs.

“I made a mistake that time. The ball had a little bit of grip,” Shafali said. “I might have played it grounded, but that’s just how today was.”

India’s middle order struggled under the Dubai lights in the absence of experienced batter Jemimah Rodrigues.

“We all knew that this would be a turning track. We’ll go back and see where we’re going wrong as a batting unit and where we can improve,” Shafali said.

India’s bowlers then took control, with Deepti Sharma and Nandni Sharma claiming three wickets apiece as Thailand were bowled out for 65.

Having played the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, India were familiar with the conditions.

“Two years back we came here for the World Cup, so we knew the conditions,” Shafali said.

“The ball comes nicely when it’s new. When it gets old, there’s a bit of hold. I’m aware of the conditions and play accordingly.”

Despite Thailand’s heavy defeat, Shafali praised their progress and called for more international opportunities.

“I’m so happy that women’s cricket is growing,” she said. “If they get more cricket, they’ll grow more. I’ll just say to them to keep working hard.”

Thailand next face Pakistan on September 1, while India meet Hong Kong, China on September 3.