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A new season has begun, but for Manchester United the storyline felt strikingly familiar. They could be thankful for that as well. Even after a summer in which they spent £150m on midfielders, their best remains unchanged. It is no secret that Bruno Fernandes has been by far United’s standout individual in the period since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. In the week he was named PFA Player of the Year, Fernandes launched his attempt to keep the award with another reminder of his remarkable output. A third hat-trick for United was followed by his first assists of the campaign. What started as evidence of his ability to spark recoveries became a commanding display that drove a rout.

Recognition from fellow professionals came in a season when Fernandes was the game’s supreme creator, registering a record 21 Premier League assists. Even so, he scored only nine goals. Now, after tormenting Ipswich, he is already a third of the way to that figure. United were unconvincing in the early stages but devastating by the end, with Fernandes the driving force behind the shift as they piled up 33 shots.

It was the first time in five years that United had scored five goals in a Premier League match; that previous occasion, against Leeds, also included a Fernandes treble and came when Michael Carrick was part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff. If the scoreline brought back memories of the old United, there were also defensive vulnerabilities, a reckless streak and an eagerness to keep surging forward.

Leif Davis (centre) fired Ipswich into the lead (AP)

Bruno Fernandes got the equaliser before scoring again from the penalty spot (Reuters)

“Scoring goals is the best feeling in football,” Fernandes said. It is a feeling he has enjoyed more than 200 times in his career. Often cast as the provider now he is in his thirties, he highlighted his ability to score different kinds of goals. He has never relied on outright pace but, when Marcelino Nunez slipped and Matheus Cunha seized the chance to play the ball through, he burst in behind the Ipswich defence and drew United level with an unstoppable finish.

Fernandes had missed two penalties in pre-season. Unfazed, he converted from 12 yards after Cunha was brought down by Jacob Greaves; the Brazilian has spent too little of his time as the auxiliary No 9 making forceful runs into the box, but when he did, it earned a booking for the defender and a goal for United.

Fernandes’ third goal showed his predator’s instinct. He was waiting near the penalty spot when Bryan Mbeumo’s wayward shot dropped kindly for him. The Portuguese finished far more accurately, placing the ball into the corner. It was not Mbeumo’s only moment of poor finishing — from a yard out, he somehow kneed the ball against the bar from Marcus Rashford’s volleyed cross — but when he did eventually score, it gave Fernandes his first assist in the pursuit of another 21.

Fernandes completed his hat-trick and set up Bryan Mbeumo's goal (Getty)

Harry Maguire's deflected shot was controversially awarded as a Jacob Greaves own goal despite a potential handball in the build-up (Getty)

It was classic Fernandes, producing a quarterback-style pass from deep for the runner breaking forward. With goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen stranded in no-man’s land, Mbeumo’s lob went in off the underside of the bar. It was not even United’s boldest attempt of the afternoon: that belonged to Fernandes, channelling David Beckham as he tried to score from the halfway line and came close, finding the roof of the net instead.

United’s other goal came via his predecessor as captain, although it was not officially credited to him. Harry Maguire’s driven effort put United in front, but a deflection off the unfortunate Greaves meant it was ruled an own goal and was not chalked off for handball. “Really unlucky to be 2-1 down,” manager Gary O’Neil said. “Two of the most unlucky goals you will see.”

With that, the possibility of a first Ipswich win at Old Trafford since 1984 vanished. The final score suggested otherwise, but Town had been the better side in the first half, with United in danger of the wrong kind of double against promoted teams after last Saturday’s defeat to Hull. “We showed the stubbornness and belief, that was really pleasing for me to bounce back,” Carrick added.

Marcus Rashford had a fine outing for the hosts having been awarded a starting berth (Reuters)

Ipswich's Chuba Akpom scored a late consolation in torrential rain (PA)

But that was not the case at first, when United looked vulnerable on the counter-attack and were dependent on Senne Lammens to keep them level, with Julio Enciso racing clear from his own half only to see his effort blocked by the goalkeeper, and Daizen Maeda watching a fierce strike brilliantly turned wide.

The warnings were not heeded. Ipswich went ahead when Abdul Fatawu, despite arriving after back-to-back relegations with Leicester, looked full of life as he surged past Luke Shaw and picked out Leif Davis, whose shot flew in off the underside of the bar.

In torrential rain late on, United still did not appear secure at the back when Ipswich grabbed a second, Chuba Akpom scoring after Lisandro Martinez lost possession to Julio Enciso.

Even so, it was only a footnote. It was tempting to remember that, in the sunshine before kick-off, United had introduced this week’s new signing Carlos Baleba to the crowd. At that point, the attention was on the new arrival. By full-time, after the latest instalment of the Fernandes show, it was all about the familiar figure. It felt so routine that both his manager and his teammate struggled to find fresh words. “He offers a lot,” Carrick said. “What else can I say?” Shaw agreed. “I kind of run out of words to say about Bruno,” he admitted.