Bournemouth v Manchester United | 2023/24 PL

Manchester United drew 2-2 with AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League last Saturday. Having failed to secure a win, the Red Devils moved down to the seventh position in the league table with 50 points from 32 matches, while the Cherries are 13th with 42 points from 32 games.

Bruno Fernandes scored a brace for the visitors, including a penalty, to earn a point for them. Courtesy to Bruno’s goals, Manchester United came back from behind twice to obtain a draw against Bournemouth. Let us take a look at three key takeaways from the match:

1. Manchester United Were Once Again Second-best Against a Lowly Opposition:

Bournemouth are nowhere near Manchester United in terms of their stature as a club. However, as has often been the case this season, it seemed to be more like a lucky point earned than a couple of points lost for United against a less-fancied team.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, Bournemouth — Image Obtained Via The Independent

The Cherries had 20 attempts at goal compared to United’s 8 in the match. The Red Devils finished with 57% ball-possession, largely thanks to their desperation to equalize in the second half. However, they had only two shots on target in the whole match, with each of Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho having a forgettable outing.

2. United’s Attack Looked Inferior to Bournemouth’s:

As mentioned above, three out of the four players in United’s frontline came up with very ordinary performances. Fernandes played box-to-box at times and impressed with his work-rate. However, the visitors often lacked a player who could link their defense with their attack. Moreover, Rashford’s performance this season lets down a lot of fans.

Bournemouth vs Manchester United, Diogo Dalot — Image Obtained Via Manchester World

In comparison, Dominic Solanke played a pivotal role at the heart of Bournemouth’s attack, making life difficult for the opposition defenders, by combining with Justin Kluivert. The home side’s game consisted of short, progressive passes and they also played a lot of crosses into the United box, thereby earning seven corners, while Ten Hag’s men could manage only two.

3. It Will Be Difficult For The Red Devils To Play In Europe Next Season:

Erik ten Hag’s men are already in danger of missing out on European football next season. They still have to play against Newcastle United, who currently stand sixth in the table level on points with the Red Devils and Arsenal, a Premier League title contender, both of whom will be difficult to beat.

Moreover, even matches against lesser oppositions seem to be tricky affairs for the Red Devils these days. It remains to be seen whether they are able to salvage the season by at least ensuring participation in next season’s Europa League. However, going by their recent string of performances, they might find it very difficult to achieve.

Follow AD for the Latest Matchday Updates on Manchester United.