Manchester United’s rollercoaster season continued as they followed their encouraging midweek win over Chelsea with a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth, increasing the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils had the chance to move level with Manchester City with a win, but instead they suffered a damaging loss which could have been even worse given Bournemouth had two further goals ruled out in their first ever win at Old Trafford.
It is the first time Man Utd have lost by at least three goals at home against a team starting the day in the bottom half of the table.
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How the match unfolded
Bournemouth took the lead in the fifth minute as Lewis Cook delivered a low cross from the right and Dominic Solanke produced a trademark flicked finish at the near post, scoring his eighth Premier League goal of the season.
Bournemouth nearly doubled their lead in the first half through Marcus Tavernier, whose headed goal was ruled out after Solanke’s saved effort was ruled offside, and they then went close again as Solanke’s low shot struck the left post.
But the visitors got their deserved second goal in the 68th minute. The Cherries won the ball on the halfway line before moving the ball left, and Tavernier crossed to the far post, where Philip Billing rose above Luke Shaw to head past Andre Onana.
The scoreline became even better for the Cherries just five minutes later as centre-back Marcos Senesi scored in a second successive match, planting his header into the bottom-right corner from Tavernier’s inswinging corner.
To make matters worse for Man Utd, their captain Bruno Fernandes was given his fifth yellow card of the season, meaning he is suspended for next Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.
Bournemouth’s fourth win in five matches moves them up to 13th on 19 points, level with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brentford and Chelsea. Man Utd remain sixth with 27 points.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
37 | +43 | 79 |
| 4 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
37 | +20 | 68 |
| 5 |
Spurs
TOT
|
36 | +12 | 63 |
| 6 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
36 | +22 | 57 |
| 7 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
36 | +12 | 57 |
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 |
Brentford
BRE
|
37 | -7 | 39 |
| 17 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
37 | -19 | 29 |
| 18 |
Luton
LUT
|
37 | -31 | 26 |
| 19 |
Burnley
BUR
|
37 | -36 | 24 |
Next five Premier League fixtures
Key facts
- Manchester United have conceded three or more goals in five different home matches in all competitions this season. The last time they did so in more different games at Old Trafford was in 1962/63 (6).
- Since (and including) their first league win of the season on 28th October, only Liverpool (17) have earned more Premier League points than Bournemouth (16 – Arsenal on 15 before their meeting with Aston Villa).
- Solanke’s opener was Bournemouth’s first shot in the first half of this match, while Billing’s strike to make it 2-0 came from their first shot in the second half.
- All five of Tavernier’s Premier League goal involvements this season have come away from home (2 goals, 3 assists), with the 24-year-old assisting the Cherries’ final two goals today.
