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Sunday 22 December 2024 16:00
Manchester United’s final match before Christmas ended in a disappointing Premier League defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
A Dean Huijsen header gave the Cherries a first-half lead, which was added to by Justin Kluivert’s penalty and Antoine Semenyo’s finish in a three-minute spell during the second period.
With the quick turnaround in mind, Ruben Amorim shuffled his pack again following Thursday night’s Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Tottenham by making six changes as Andre Onana, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad and Joshua Zirkzee were restored to the line-up.
Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth arrived in M16 having won their previous two away games. The visitors made just one change from their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United on Monday night as Tyler Adams came into midfield for Lewis Cook, who dropped to the bench.
Kobbie was back in the starting XI for the first time since 7 December against Nottingham Forest.
FIRST HALF – CHERRIES TAKE THE LEAD
Bournemouth made a settled start in possession but the Reds created the first opening in the sixth minute as Amad’s low shot tested Bournemouth keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, after Mainoo’s pass was inadvertently helped into his path by Cherries skipper Adam Smith. At the other end, Onana was worked for the first time by Semenyo’s left-footed strike from 20 yards.
Proceedings struggled to fully ignite, with a cold and windy Manchester day making for tricky conditions for both teams. Bruno Fernandes – who scored twice in our last Premier League meeting with the Cherries – took aim from 25 yards and his swerving shot stung the palms of on-loan Chelsea stopper Arrizabalaga.
As the rain began to swirl around the Theatre of Dreams again, the visitors went in front in the 29th minute. Huijsen glanced on Ryan Christie’s free-kick from the right – after Malacia was harshly adjudged to have fouled Smith near the touchline – and the teenager’s header found the far corner of the net.
With the Cherries’ tails up, Onana was forced into a low save after Evanilson chested down a forward pass and unleashed a fierce volley.
The Reds began to apply sustained pressure on the visitors towards the end of the half. Fernandes came closest to finding the net on three separate occasions – curling a shot inches wide from Amad’s cutback, then being denied by Arrizabalaga when played in by Mainoo, before arrowing a powerful drive narrowly past the post.
Amad niftily weaved his way between the Cherries’ defenders to find space in the box before miscuing his shot beyond the far post, as we headed into the dressing room a goal down at the break.
Bruno went close to finding an equaliser on several occasions towards the end of the first half.
SECOND HALF – DEFEAT FOR UNITED
Amorim made a change at the interval as Leny Yoro replaced Malacia, with Diogo Dalot switching to left wing-back and Noussair Mazraoui moving to right wing-back. Ruben introduced more fresh legs early on in Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho as Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte made way.
The Reds threatened when Lewis Cook – who came on at half-time for the visitors in place of Smith – had to take evasive action to clear inside the six-yard box after Amad’s corner caused problems.
Bournemouth were awarded a penalty around the hour mark when Mazraoui was adjudged to have tripped Kluivert, who sent Onana the wrong way from the spot to double the Cherries’ advantage.
Hojliund came off the bench and forced a save from Bournemouth keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
It got worse for the Reds just two minutes later when Semenyo converted Dango Ouattara’s cutback from close range.
The Reds’ substitutes had good opportunities to pull one back. Hojlund played in Garnacho, who raced through the middle but found Arrizabalaga in his way, before our no.11 brought a smart low save from the Cherries keeper with a drilled effort.
As United continued to ask questions, Amad was left completely free on the edge of the box to meet Fernandes’ pullback but he could not direct his shot on target, before Hojlund dragged a shot inches wide after advancing forward and Amad brought a save from Arrizabalaga in the closing seconds.
It proved to be a day to quickly forget for the Reds, who will be back in action on Boxing Day when we travel to Molineux to face Wolves (kick-off 17:30 GMT) before signing off for 2024 against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on 30 December (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
The Reds will be looking to bounce back against Wolves in our next outing on Boxing Day.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Ugarte (Garnacho 55), Mainoo, Malacia (Yoro 46); Amad, Fernandes (c); Zirkzee (Hojlund 54).
Subs not used: Bayindir, Evans, Casemiro, Collyer, Eriksen, Antony.
Booked: Ugarte.
Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga; Smith (c) (Cook 46), Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Adams (Hill 89); Semenyo (Brooks 89), Kluivert (Billing 78), Ouattara; Evanilson (Enes Unal 71).
Subs not used: Travers, Aarons, Winterburn, Kinsey.
Goals: Huijsen 29, Kluivert 61 pen, Semenyo 63.
Booked: Smith, Arrizabalaga, Huijsen.
Attendance: 73,720.
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Sunday 22 December 2024 16:00
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