Manchester United suffered their seventh defeat in the Premier League, losing 0-3 to visitors Bournemouth in matchday 16.
Having just won the treble of Premier League Player of the Month awards, Manchester United conceded three goals at Old Trafford against a team ranked 13th. Despite fielding a nearly full-strength team, Erik ten Hag's side were lackluster in attack and weak in defense. Two of the visitors' three goals came from close-range shots with no home players closely marking them.
The incident shows Manchester United conceding a goal in the fifth minute against Bournemouth at Old Trafford, Manchester, in the 16th round of the Premier League on December 9, 2023. Photo: PA
For the first time in Premier League history, Man Utd lost to a team in the bottom half of the table by three goals or more at Old Trafford. They had just convincingly beaten Chelsea 2-1 at the same venue, but the fans didn't see the same eye-catching attacking style on the evening of December 9th.
The home team's biggest disappointment came in the 73rd minute, when Bournemouth were awarded a corner on the right. Heavy rain and strong winds caused the corner flag to tilt sharply to one side. Midfielder Marcus Tavernier took the free kick, sending the ball to the far post for center-back Marcos Senesi to head into the far corner from a clear position, making the score 3-0. At that moment, many groups of Old Trafford fans began to stand up and leave. When the final whistle blew, many sections of the stands had more empty seats than remaining spectators.
Spectators had reason to leave, as Man Utd had 20 shots but only three were on target. The chances for the Red Devils weren't particularly dangerous either, with Anthony Martial in the first half and Rasmus Hojlund in the second both underperforming. Near the end of the match, midfielder Bruno Fernandes even argued with the referee, receiving his fifth yellow card of the season, meaning he will be suspended for the next game against Liverpool.
Manchester United players looked stunned after conceding the third goal. Photo: Reuters
Man Utd failed to maintain the intensity of their previous match, as evidenced by the first goal conceded. Defender Sergio Reguilon made a misplaced pass on the left, allowing Lewis Cook to dribble down to the byline. Captain Bruno Fernandes and Sofyan Amrabat exchanged glances without chasing after the player, giving Cook ample time to assess the situation before crossing the ball to striker Dominic Solanke, who tapped it into the far corner to open the scoring.
The home team's second goal also came from an individual error, this time a misplaced pass by Luke Shaw in midfield. Bournemouth launched a quick counter-attack, passing the ball to the left for Tavernier, who then crossed it to the far post for Philip Billing to head it high past Andre Onana. Billing took advantage of the space Shaw left behind, as he couldn't get back in time to regain his position. Immediately after this, Shaw was also substituted.
Man Utd could have lost by a larger margin when striker Dango Ouattara put the ball into Onana's net in injury time of the second half. However, after VAR Paul Tierney intervened, referee Peter Bankes disallowed the visitors' goal because Ouattara handled the ball. Manager Andoni Iraola's face showed no emotion after this incident, as well as after the three previous goals.
Defender Marcos Senesi (second from left) celebrates the goal that sealed Bournemouth's 3-0 victory. Photo: PA
Manchester United were in top form in the Premier League before this match, but after the final whistle, that position belonged to Bournemouth. After nine winless games in the Premier League, Iraola's team transformed, winning four and drawing one of their last five matches. This victory was historic for Bournemouth, as it marked their first triumph at Old Trafford.
Unlike Iraola, who remained composed, manager Ten Hag wore a grimace after the final whistle. Manchester United face two tough matches ahead, against Bayern Munich and Liverpool. If they continue to play as they did against Bournemouth, Ten Hag's team could suffer another humiliating defeat.
Hoang An
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