Manchester United 5-1 Leeds United: Bruno Fernandes hat trick brings the hosts a large win

Bruno Fernandes completed his hat trick with a powerful punch into the net

Bruno Fernandes scored a hat trick on opening day as Manchester United swept Leeds aside with a devastating second-half performance.

The Portuguese midfielder scored the goal after half an hour at crowded Old Trafford, but Luke Ayling’s thunderous strike brought Leeds to level early in the second half.

Mason Greenwood restored the hosts ‘lead with a crisp finish less than two minutes later before Fernandes’ low shot was marked over the line after a goal-line technology review by Referee Paul Tierney.

The 26-year-old quickly finished his hat-trick with a massive finish after Victor Lindelof’s pass before Fred scored United’s fourth goal in 14 minutes after a Paul Pogba cross – the Frenchman’s fourth assist in the afternoon.

It was Fernandes’ first hat-trick since joining Old Trafford in January 2020 and only the second by a Red Devils player since Robin van Persie’s title win against Aston Villa in 2013.

But the game was also a personal triumph for Pogba.

The French midfielder’s future was debated as he heads into the final year of his contract.

But his four assists included a great pass for Greenwood’s goal, and he left the field to a standing ovation 15 minutes from time as £ 74m freshman Jadon Sancho was introduced for his debut.

Bravo Bruno

Fernandes’ last hat trick was for Sporting Lisbon when they hammered Belenenses 8-1 before just over 5,000 in May 2019.

Although the Portuguese has assumed heroic status since moving to England, this was only the fourth time he has played a Premier League game in front of a sold-out crowd at Old Trafford.

After a disappointing Euro 2020, any concerns about its impact at the national level have been completely dispelled.

His opening game was excellent as he ran towards Pogba’s first pass, controlled a rebounding ball in the Leeds area, then put enough power into his shot to get it into the net despite Illan Meslier’s half-save.

Another Pogba pass provided Fernandes with an opportunity to put Meslier on the buttocks as he spun sharply before hitting a low shot towards goal, which referee Tierney was correctly informed of that he had crossed the line before Ayling cleared had.

Fernandes’ third was route one. Lindelof’s pass fell perfectly for the striker, who let the ball ricochet off before crashing into the net.

He succeeded Anthony Martial as the only Manchester United player to score a hat trick in the Premier League since Van Persie – and the first to do so in front of the fans.

Leeds swept away

The volume for an already loud crowd was increased again by the introduction of Raphael Varane shortly before the teams appeared.

Manchester United’s new £ 34m defender will be tasked with adding stability to a back four that looked shaky at times even here.

Skipper Harry Maguire was almost embarrassed in a running race with Patrick Bamford, which he started with a clear lead and a bad marker should have been exploited by Rodrigo, who missed with his header after hitting Raphinha’s free kick without defense.

For a team whose league record at Old Trafford is poor – Leeds haven’t won here since 1981 – and who conceded six goals in a match last season, that was not a good sign.

Ayling gave hope when he was given way too much room to shoot – presumably on the basis that he had never scored a Premier League goal before – and promptly found the corner from 25 yards.

But it was just the prelude to a Manchester United onslaught from which there was no chance of recovery.

Trouble before the game

This has probably always been a Tinderbox game on the first weekend of full Premier League stadiums in 19 months.

Problems in the city center, where Greater Manchester police said there had been “isolated incidents of disorder”, briefly gave way to unanimity at the stadium as fans gathered to applaud the numbers of both clubs during the coronavirus Pandemic died. But that didn’t last.

Amid mutual disgust, the guest services chanted about the Munich air disaster, which Jadon Sancho also said he had “let his country down” when he started his first warm-up – an indication of his missed penalty for England in the Euro 2020 final against Italy .

Given the chaos at the end of United’s last season when a home game against Liverpool was abandoned after home fans broke into the stadium, club officials are likely to be relieved that this game was not threatened despite an anti-Glaser chant to underline that the problems with the owners have not gone away.

Player of the game

Bruno FernandesBruno Fernandes

Leeds United

1. Cadre number2PlayernameAyling

2. Cadre number1PlayernameMeslier

3. Cadre numberfifteenPlayernameDallas

4. Cadre number10PlayernameRaphinha

5. Cadre number22ndPlayernameHarrison

6. Cadre number21PlayernameStruijk

7. Cadre number9PlayernameBamford

8. Cadre number43Playernamecliche

9. Cadre number6thPlayernamecooper

10. Cadre number19thPlayernameRodrigo

11. Cadre number5PlayernameCook

12. Cadre number3PlayernameFirpo

13. Cadre number11PlayernameRoberts

14. Cadre number17thPlayernameHélder Costa

Constellations

Man utd

formation 4-2-3-1

1de Gea

29Wan-Bissaka2Lindelöf5Maguire23Shaw

39McTominay17thFred

21James18thBruno Fernandes6thPogba

11Grünwald

• 1de Gea
• 29Wan-Bissaka
• 2Lindelöf
• 5Maguire
• 23ShawBooked at 83 minutes
• 39McTominayReplaced byMaticat 69 ‘protocol
• 17thFred
• 21JamesReplaced bySanchoat 75 ‘protocol
• 18thBruno Fernandes
• 6thPogbaReplaced byMartial artsat 75 ‘protocol
• 11Grünwald

substitute

• 8theye
• 9Martial arts
• fifteenPereira
• 20thDalot
• 22ndWarm up
• 25thSancho
• 31Matic
• 33Williams
• 34van de Beek

Leeds

formation 4-4-1-1

1Meslier

2Ayling21Struijk6thcooperfifteenDallas

10Raphinha5Cook43cliche22ndHarrison

19thRodrigo

9Bamford

• 1Meslier
• 2Ayling
• 21Struijk
• 6thcooperBooked at 59 minutes
• fifteenDallas
• 10RaphinhaBooked at 62 minutes
• 5Cook
• 43cliche
• 22ndHarrisonReplaced byHélder Costaat 69 ‘protocol
• 19thRodrigoReplaced byFirpoat 45 ‘protocol
• 9BamfordReplaced byRobertsat 77 ‘protocol

substitute

• 3Firpo
• 4thForshaw
• 11Roberts
• 13thKlaesson
• 17thHélder Costa
• 23Phillips
• 38Sommerville
• 42Grünwald
• 46Shackleton

Referee: Paul Tierney

Participation: 72,732

Live text

1. End of game, Manchester United 5, Leeds United 1.

2. The second half ends, Manchester United 5, Leeds United 1.

3. Foul by Hélder Costa (Leeds United).

4. Luke Shaw (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

5. Foul by Mateusz Klich (Leeds United).

6. Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

7. Attempt failed. Luke Ayling (Leeds United) right footed shot from the center of the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.

8. Junior Firpo (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

9. Foul by Fred (Manchester United).

10. Attempt failed. Raphinha (Leeds United) left footed shot from the center of the box is just missed to the right. Supported by Tyler Roberts.

11. Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

12. Raphinha (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

13. Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

14. Hélder Costa (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

15. Foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United).

16. Attempt failed. Hélder Costa (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Liam Cooper with a header pass after a set piece.

17. Hélder Costa (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

18. Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

19. Attempt failed. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

20. Handball by Mason Greenwood (Manchester United).

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