Erik Ten Hag’s men look to win at the Theatre of Dreams against the Cherries on match week 16 of the 2023/2024 Premier League season.
This season, Old Trafford will be the stage for this fixture between two clubs with different aims and goals. It is a match that could affect the race for European football and the relegation battle, so teams from both ends of the table will be keeping a close eye on this one.
A Carabao Cup win and a third-place finish last season made it look like Manchester United was finally ready to be a part of Europe’s elite again. Erik Ten Hag had them playing their best football in years, and it looked like, finally, they would have an actual project on their hands.
United went into the summer and made signings to fix the issues they had last season and strengthen their weaker areas, but they have looked worse this season than they did last season.
“We want to be the best transition team in the world. [The messages I am sending to my players are] that we want to do it in the United Way. What is the United Way? So, what is our identity? And we want to be successful in that particular style,”.
“We want to surprise. We want to play dynamic [football], we want to play with speed, and we want to play aggressive out of an excellent team spirit. So that is United.
“We have to build a solid construction and a belief in that squad and a determination that we can win everything and big trophies. That is what we are aiming for.”
These were the words Erik Ten Hag spoke at the start of the window, but these words have yet to come to fruition in this season. Inconsistent performances, frantic play, hurried attacks, and a poor defensive structure have seen Manchester United look objectively worse than last season. The signs of a team making progress have disappeared, and this season has felt more like 2021/2022, where three managers were at the helm.
Ten Hag may have credit in the bank for what he did last season, and the Manchester United board has a reputation for being patient with their managers, but more negative results may lead to his job being in danger.
They have a chance at Old Trafford to get a good win over a Bournemouth side that is not in the best situation.
Andoni Iraola’s men will hope to catch United on another bad day when his side travels to Old Trafford. A win away to Manchester United is the sort of result that builds confidence, especially for teams at the lower end of the table because they usually are not expected to come away from stadiums like these with positive results.
Defeating United at Old Trafford will be no easy task, though, as they have yet to beat United away in six attempts (five losses and one draw).
Read on for more match information, ticket information, potential lineups, and predictions for the Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth matchday 5 tie.
Match Tickets
Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth tickets are up for sale on both clubs’ websites. As usual, it is expected to sell out in the coming week, so fans will have to turn to ticket reselling sites for a chance to get access to the game.
Old Trafford will be the stage for the match, and United fans will be 75,000 strong in attendance. Fans will show up in good numbers for their clash with a top, so a sellout crowd is to be expected. Tickets will see high patronage for this game, which means that many fans will visit ticket resellers like Seatsnet.com for their tickets.
The game will be played at Old Trafford on Saturday, 9th December 2023, at 4:00 PM. Fans in and around the United Kingdom, where Sky Sports’ coverage reaches, can enjoy the game at that time.
The Premier League is broadcast to 212 total provinces worldwide, meaning that fans outside the United Kingdom have to tune in to one of the league’s broadcast partners in their province for the game.
Team news
Erik Ten Hag’s men have been plagued with injuries to key players to start the season, but they may catch a break as the festive period arrives.
Players like Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan Bisakka, Tyrell Malacia and Casemiro will be expected to be fit for the match. Barring any other injuries, United could have a clean bill of health for the first time since the season started.
Bournemouth’s only long-term injury is the new signing Tyler Adams suffered. His hamstring injury has ruled him out until at least next February. Other than that, Neto, Carl Fredricks and Emiliano Marcondes should be fit for the trip to Old Trafford.
Lineups
Manchester United will name their strongest team for this fixture as they want a massive win. Casemiro will start in defensive midfield alongside Mason Mount, while Rasmus Hojlund will lead the line with Marcus Rashford and Antony flanking him.
Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mount, Rashford, Fernandes, Antony, Hojlund.
Andoni Iraola’s side will go with their strongest compliment, as they will name a team that can hit United on the counter and soak up pressure. They will be defensively resolute and depend on Semenyo and Solanke for progression up top and their hold-up play.
Bournemouth: Neto, Kerkez, Sanesi, Zabarnyi; Aarons, Cook, Christie, Kluivert; Billing, Semenyo, Solanke.
Prediction
With United at home, they will be the protagonists of the match, gunning for goal. They will look to play with a high intensity in their attacks and score as many times as possible.
