Bournemouth humiliate Manchester United with 3-0 victory at Old Trafford
Bournemouth FC handed Manchester United a stunning 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford, their second consecutive win on the ground. The match showcased the continued struggles of Manchester United under new manager Ruben Amorim. Despite a change in leadership since Erik ten Hag's time, the team's performance hasn't improved much. The defeat was largely due to defensive frailties during set-pieces, a recurring issue for the Red Devils this season.
Bournemouth's young talent opens scoring
Bournemouth's young talent Dean Huijsen opened the scoring in the first half with a goal from Ryan Christie's free-kick. The second half saw a rapid succession of goals from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo, just over two minutes apart. This marked Manchester United's seventh loss of the season and highlighted their ongoing defensive issues, particularly during set-pieces.
Manchester United's set-piece woes continue
Manchester United have shipped 17 goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) in 2024, the most in a single calendar year in the Premier League. In the ongoing 2024-25 season alone, they have conceded nine goals from set pieces. Only Wolverhampton Wanderers have a worse record with 14 goals conceded. These numbers highlight the team's recurring defensive issues under Amorim's stewardship.
Premier League standings and Amorim's strategy
Following the defeat, Manchester United remain 13th in the Premier League table. This is their lowest position at Christmas since the 1989-90 season. Meanwhile, Bournemouth have risen to fifth under Andoni Iraloa's management. Amorim admitted his side's issues with set pieces after their previous 2-3 loss to Nottingham Forest, "When this happens it's my fault because I'm responsible."
Here are the match stats
Man United managed 7 shots on target compared to the visiting team's 5. The hosts had 2.26 expected goals with Bournemouth clocking a number worth 1.24. United had 45 touches in the opposition box. The Cherries had 15. United dominated possession (60%).
Sorry numbers for woeful United
Bournemouth are just the second team to win successive league away games against Manchester United by 3+ goals (both 3-0), after Burnley in 1961 (4-1) and 1962 (5-2). Only bottom-placed Southampton (5) have conceded 3+ goals in a Premier League home game more times than Manchester United (4) this season. United have let in three-plus goals against Liverpool, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. In three of these games, they failed to score.
