Premier League REVIEW 30 Aug 2026: Chelsea survive a 3-0 lead, and Bruno Fernandes answers with a hat-trick

Four Premier League matches on Sunday, and the wildest was at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea beat Brighton 4-3 having led 3-0 inside 32 minutes and very nearly thrown it away. Romeo Lavia struck on four minutes, Pedro Neto on 14 and Joao Pedro on 32, the last against the club he left in the summer and in front of the away support. Brighton then scored three: Malick Yalcouye on 35, a Joao Pedro own goal on 63 as he turned a shot past his own keeper, and Pascal Gross deep into stoppage time. In between, Cole Palmer settled it, gliding away from a cluster of defenders on 74 minutes to make it 4-2. Xabi Alonso admitted his side "played too much with the result" once they were three up; Fabian Hurzeler said no one who watched it could believe it had been 3-0. Chelsea won it with 25.6 per cent of the ball, and Joao Pedro's afternoon of a goal, an assist and an own goal was the sixth of its kind in Premier League history.

Manchester United came from behind to beat Ipswich Town 5-2 in their first home game of the season, and did it through a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick. Ipswich led on 29 minutes when Leif Davis met an Abdul Fatawu cross and finished off the underside of the bar. The turning point came just before half-time: Marcelino Nunez slipped in midfield, Matheus Cunha robbed him and fed Fernandes, who equalised on 40. A Jacob Greaves own goal put United ahead on 56, Fernandes converted a penalty on 61 after Greaves fouled Cunha, and completed his treble on 68. Bryan Mbeumo made it five on 82 from a Fernandes pass before Chuba Akpom pulled a late one back for Ipswich.

Leeds United and Brentford drew 1-1 at Elland Road, and Daniel Farke earned his point by changing his shape. Kevin Schade put Brentford ahead on 41 minutes, guiding in Keane Lewis-Potter's low cross with the outside of his boot, and Brentford, who outshot Leeds 22 to 12, controlled much of the game. Farke switched from a back three to a back four at half-time, and the substitute Lukas Nmecha set up Dominic Calvert-Lewin to equalise on 79. Farke said he had "asked a lot" of his players; Keith Andrews felt Brentford "became a little bit content" and were forced into little they could not handle until the shift came.

Sunderland beat Fulham 1-0 at the Stadium of Light, and the substitutes decided it. Regis Le Bris sent on Wilson Isidor and Habib Diarra together around the hour, and it was Diarra who crossed for Isidor to finish on 75, minutes after Isidor had struck the post from close range. Fulham did not manage a single shot on target and lost a second straight game to open the season under Alvaro Arbeloa, who said his side "were not at our level". Le Bris said the win "feeds the confidence" at home. The one shadow on the afternoon for Sunderland was Diarra, who provided the assist but went off soon after appearing to feel his hamstring.