Manchester United’s worst game this season. And this is with the 15th team in the Premier League!
Grigory Telingater December 9, 2023, 20:40 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Bournemouth won 3-0 at Old Trafford. But it could have been bigger.
It seems that there is no team in the Premier League that is more feverish than Manchester United. Failure in the Champions League is combined with a successful performance in the championship in November (victories in all three rounds) and, as a result, winning in all categories during the month (best EPL player – Maguire, best coach – ten Hag, best goal – Garnacho). And after a fairly confident (mainly in terms of content) victory over Chelsea, you would think that the team had gained momentum. Apparently, so it seemed.
Now Manchester United received Bournemouth, the 15th team in the Premier League. And in the fifth minute the locals conceded. McTominay was the first to have the ball in midfield initially, but he let himself get ahead. Then Amrabat couldn’t block a cross from the flank. Well, Maguire and Shaw couldn’t cover Solanke’s final blow.
It is noteworthy that Shaw again came out through the center of the defense, and this time Reguilón was on the left flank of the defense. There was no place for either Rashford or Hoylund in the attack. Both came on only as substitutes in the second half. Perhaps this is also why Maguire joined the attacks so frequently. For example, in this screenshot, it is the Manchester United defender who is in the Bournemouth penalty area at the penalty spot.
Manchester United – Bournemouth
Photo: Frame of the transmission.
Ten Hag’s team was very lucky to concede only one goal in the first half. In the 38th minute, Solanke himself hit the post. The rivals went to half-time with the whistle from the stands, which, apparently, was not directed at the guests at all.
If the first 45 minutes were simply incoherent from Manchester United, the second half was even more discouraging. Bournemouth scored twice more! And again a quick attack helped. In the 68th minute, as soon as the visitors intercepted the ball, they immediately rushed forward before the opponents had time to organize themselves in defense. As a result, Billing scored with a header from a cross.
Manchester United – Bournemouth
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Only five minutes passed and Bournemouth scored for the third time. Just a cross from the corner to the far post and Senesi shot from the goal line without resistance. The visitors scored their goals with surprising ease. And in added time, due to a mistake by Maguire, they even scored the fourth, but the VAR annulled the goal because the ball hit Ouattara’s hand.
After the final whistle, the stands booed the Manchester United players even more. Fan mood was also affected by the fact that captain Fernandes received his fifth yellow card this Premier League season and will now miss the match against Liverpool in the next round.
Liverpool, by the way, also enjoyed a fun game:
Powerful comeback from Liverpool! Saved by a stupid elimination of an opponent.
