After AFC Bournemouth and Manchester United shared a four-goal thriller at Vitality Stadium, football writer Alex Keble looks at the implications of the result as both clubs chase European football.
A fun and frantic 2-2 draw at Vitality Stadium ended with a useful point for both Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth in their respective pushes for European qualification.
Man Utd had looked set for a typically efficient victory - one that would have guaranteed they begin a three-week break top of the Premier League table since Michael Carrick’s appointment – until Harry Maguire’s penalty concession and red card brought the Cherries back into the contest.
Nevertheless, Man Utd remain in a strong position in the table, thanks in no small part to Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes strengthens his case for Player of the Season
The Man Utd captain loves this fixture. His goal, which opened the scoring from the penalty spot, made it nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) in his last nine appearances versus Bournemouth.
It also took his tally to 24 goal contributions (eight goals, 16 assists) in the Premier League this season - second only to Erling Haaland’s 29 - and a remarkable 23 goals or assists in his last 22 matches for Man Utd in all competitions.
He played a crucial hand in the second goal, too, his dangerous inswinging corner deflecting off two Bournemouth players to sail past goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, although Premier League rules dictate this does not go down as an official assist (outside of Fantasy Premier League).
Once again Fernandes was the difference-maker, strengthening his case to win his first-ever EA SPORTS Player of the Season award this May.
The award has been won by a player from that season’s Premier League champions in each of the past five seasons, but with Fernandes only four assists shy of the single-season record of 20, he could yet rise above the competition.
Matches like Friday night's make that more likely, despite the result. Fernandes was top of the rankings in the game for touches (two), chances created (three), shots (six), and crosses (10), a testament to his leadership on the ball.
He drove Man Utd forward at the Vitality. Stadium and was at the heart of everything positive that the Red Devils did. He will no doubt be the most important player in their run-in as United seek re-entry to the UEFA Champions League.
“In the last weeks we've been positive with the results and that gives positive energy to the team to understand we can go anywhere and get results,” Fernandes told Sky Sports after the game.
“We've been in very good form under Michael [Carrick] and today we had to suffer and we did get a point - we got something from it.”
Fernandes has now created 101 chances in the league this season, including three in this match, and has done so in just 28 appearances - the fewest a Man Utd player has needed to reach 100+ chances on record (since 2003/04), ahead of Ryan Giggs in 2006/07 (29).
Man Utd guaranteed to enter the break in third – with UCL qualification in their hands
It was a frustrating end to the game for United, but the 2-2 draw still means the club have only lost one of their 10 matches under Carrick and are now guaranteed to sit third over the three-week break that follows this weekend.
“It’s not the end of the world by any stretch and we'll come back stronger after the break,” as Carrick put it succinctly to Sky Sports.
Watch: All four goals between Bournemouth and Man Utd
20 crazy second-half minutes between @afcbournemouth and @ManUtd 🫨 pic.twitter.com/bpFa5tiiOs
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 21, 2026
His optimism is well earned. United are six points above Liverpool and seven above Chelsea, both of whom they still have to play in their remaining seven Premier League games of this season.
Four of those matches to come are at Old Trafford and include winnable games against relegation candidates Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.
United, then, can rest up during the FA Cup weekend and international break, safe in the knowledge they remain very much in control of the race for Champions League football.
Man Utd's next PL fixtures
Kroupi shines again as resilient Bournemouth cling to a top 10 finish
Bournemouth were good value for a point, their aggressive and resilient brand of football once again proving very difficult to break down.
The Cherries, unbeaten in 11 in the league, have drawn a remarkable 15 matches this season, almost half of their 31 played, which pretty neatly sums up why they are bang in the middle of the table.
But if Iraola is to squeeze Bournemouth into Europe they will need to turn more of those draws into wins.
Junior Kroupi could help with that. The 19-year-old forward was excellent in a brief cameo off the bench, playing a brilliant pass that released Evanilson to force the crucial Maguire foul before calmly slotting home the resulting penalty.
In fact, we might have just seen the two big individual prize winners tonight.
Fernandes could be 2025/26 Player of the Season. Kroupi – scorer of nine goals this season, seven more than any other teenager – has Young Player of the Season in his sights.