Woeful United booed off after being embarrassed by Bournemouth
RED MEN WALKING: Manchester United players look dejected after Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi (not pictured) scores his side's third goal of the game during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Pic Martin Rickett/PA Wire
ERIK ten Hag and Manchester United were booed off after the manager’s rotation gamble backfired badly against relegation-threatened Bournemouth.
Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi were on the mark for the visitors as United suffered a fourth home defeat in just nine league games this season. It could have been even more embarrassing but the visitors had a late fourth chalked off by VAR.
Ten Hag opted to name Marcus Rashford to his bench, having dropped the England striker for the midweek win over Chelsea.
But more surprising was his decision not to start with £72 million striker Rasmus Hojlund, although the Dane has yet to score a league goal for United, preferring the hapless Anthony Martial instead.
The United boss clearly had one eye on Tuesday’s all-important Champions League tie with Bayern Munich, which United have to win to keep alive their slender hopes of progressing.
But it was a depressingly familiar story for United supporters at Old Trafford this season, as they saw their team fall behind after just five minutes.
It was a goal that summed up some of the error-strewn football that has plagued United and ten Hag’s hopes of seeing his team continue last season’s improvements in the current campaign.
Bruno Fernandes played a ball forward and Scott McTominay was beaten to it by Lewis Cook who sprinted past the floundering Sofyan Amrabat, as if the United midfielder were not there.
His cross found Solanke in the six-yard box and the striker finished with an audacious back-heel past the stranded Andre Onana.
The second came on 68 minutes, again on the counter-attack as Luke Shaw’s pass was intercepted and Solanke led the charge upfield, passing wide to Tavernier. His perfect cross was met by 6’4” substitute Billing who rose above Shaw to head in.
And just five minutes later, United’s humiliation continued as Tavernier’s right-wing corner was met by Marcos Senesi who, inexplicably, was unmarked six yards out and headed in.
Substitute Dango Ouattara bundled the ball into the net for an apparent Bournemouth fourth in the 92nd minute although it was ruled out by VAR for handball.
After a good performance in the midweek home win over Chelsea, this was another example of ten Hag’s struggles to instil any kind of consistency in his team.
But they might have been level just three minutes after the opener, when Harry Maguire, one of the few United players whose form has exempted him from criticism in recent weeks, met Sergio Reguilon’s cross, forcing Neto to tip the ball over his bar.
Not until the 35th minute, and a tame shot by Martial straight at Neto, did United produce an on-target effort, despite seeing plenty of the ball.
And, with Bournemouth threatening on the counter-attack, the half could have ended with the visitors holding an even greater advantage. Tavernier had the ball in the United goal on 23 minutes but his effort was ruled out for offside against Solanke.
And Bournemouth’s number nine came within millimetres of doubling his team’s lead before the break when a McTominay error in midfield gifted the ball to Cook whose pass to Solanke saw him strike the foot of the post.
Ten Hag resisted the temptation to make changes at the interval but did see his side open the second half with far more urgency.
Following a spell of United pressure, McTominay and Fernandes both saw efforts blocked by Milos Kerkez in quick succession.
Martial was finally put out of his misery, replaced by Hojlund to loud approval from the Old Trafford crowd, just ten minutes into the second half as United sought an equaliser.
By the end the home side were absolutely adrift.
Onana 6; Dalot 5, Maguire 6, Shaw 6 (Evans 79, 5), Reguilon 5; McTominay 5, Amrabat 5; Antony 6 Pellistri 79, 5), Fernandes 6, Garnacho 5 (Rashford 79, 5); Martial 4 (Hojlund 55, 6). Bayindir, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, van de Beek, Mainoo.
Neto 7; A Smith 7, Zabarnyi 7, Senesi 7, Kerkez 7; L Cook 8 (Rothwell 87), Christie 7; Semenyo 7 (Billing 57, 7), Kluivert 6 (Sinisterra 71, 6), Tavernier 9 (Ouattara 87); Solanke 8. Mepham, Brooks, Sinisterra, Moore, Kilkenny, Billing, Travers.
P Bankes 7
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