Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth: Cherries defeat woeful Red Devils to secure second consecutive win at Old Trafford
Bournemouth delivered a remarkable performance against Manchester United, securing a 3-0 victory in the Premier League at Old Trafford for the second consecutive season.
This result leaves the Red Devils positioned in the lower half of the table at Christmas for the first time since 1989.
In a reflection of their differing circumstances, Bournemouth arrived at Old Trafford with a three-point advantage over the struggling Manchester United, who had recently seen a potential opportunity for silverware vanish following their defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.
After a subdued beginning to the match, the home supporters were left frustrated as their team conceded first for the sixth game in a row. Bournemouth capitalized on a set-piece opportunity just before the half-hour mark, with Dean Huijsen connecting with Ryan Christie’s inswinging free-kick to score his first Premier League away goal with a deft header past Onana.
The former Roma defender nearly turned from hero to villain when he lost possession deep in his own half, but Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga intervened effectively to deny Bruno Fernandes.
Trailing at halftime, an exasperated Ruben Amorim made a swift decision to introduce attacking options, bringing on Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund just nine minutes into the second half in hopes of orchestrating a comeback.
However, the challenge intensified when Noussair Mazraoui was penalized for a reckless foul on Justin Kluivert, granting the Dutchman a penalty opportunity. Kluivert, who had previously scored three penalties in a match against Wolves, demonstrated his composure once more, waiting for Onana to commit before placing the ball into the net.
Just two minutes later, a bewildered Onana was retrieving the ball from his net again after Antoine Semenyo finished from Dango Ouattara’s cut-back, igniting jubilation among the traveling supporters while leaving the rest of Old Trafford in disbelief.
Fortunately for the long-suffering supporters of United, there would be no additional penalties from the aggressive visitors. Semenyo's fifth goal of the season capped off a fourth victory in five matches for Andoni Iraola's team, who will enter the Christmas period in fifth place.
In contrast, while Bournemouth aspires to European qualification, Manchester United finds itself languishing in 13th position, enduring what is shaping up to be a nightmarish season.
SportsLigue