MAN UNITED 1, AFC BOURNEMOUTH 1
Tyrone Mings’ stamp to the head of Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the striker lay on the ground, that went unpunished, completely overshadowed everything else that happened in Manchester United’s home draw against 10-man Bournemouth.
Surely the Football Association will take retrospective action against the Cherries’ defender after viewing the footage of the sickening incident.
Ibrahimovic may also be punished for a retaliatory elbow against Mings that was also overlooked by referee Kevin Friend.
United missed out on the chance to break into the Premier League’s top four after another slip up against lowly opponents.
And having also been held at home by Stoke, Burnley, West Ham and Hull City, that is 10 points they have squandered against teams they ought to have put to the sword.
They could prove costly in the bunfight for the second, third and fourth Champions League spots as United remain sixth.
While United’s shortcomings were once again apparent – one goal converted from 20 goal attempts – you had to praise heroic Bournemouth who played with 10 men for half the match after Andrew Surman’s sending off.
Bournemouth had been in free fall – four straight defeats and no win in seven games before their visit to Old Trafford.
But the South Coast club at times defended heroically with Artur Boruc another visiting keeper to take star billing.
United manager Jose Mourinho admitted dropped points at home could cost the team a Champion League place.
He said: “Once again we were punished when we should have won – we created a lot of chances and didn’t score.
“It is the old story that happened against Hull, Burnley, Bournemouth and Stoke.
“It is 10 or 12 points and then you are speaking not only about top four, but top two or one.
“The reality is that we have dropped too many points at home.”
Mourinho thought his side ought to have been 3-0 or 4-0 ahead at half time as they had played “amazingly well”.
In the second half, Mourinho said his side maintained its intensity, but lost its quality and vision that was needed to break down their opponents.
Mourinho would not comment on the incidents involving Ming and Ibrahimovic saying referee Kevin Friend gave it as he saw it.
But he added that Mr Friend got the two major decision right – both penalties
United made four changes from the side that started the EFL Cup final on Sunday.
There were recalls in defence for Phil Jones and Luke Shaw in defence as they replaced Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly.
Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick were also back in place of Jesse Lingard and Ander Herrera.
United were quick out of the blocks as Rooney, making his 550th appearance for the Reds, almost scored with little one minute played when his header looped on to the roof of the net.
Paul Pogba then broke from half way and looked set to score, but keeper Artur Boruc managed to deflect his shot round the post for a corner.
United were almost caught on the break as Benik Afobe burst clear only to be stopped by a combination of Marcos Rojo and keeper David De Gea.
That was an isolated moment of danger as it was all United with Anthony Martial next to go close as he forced a decent save from Boruc.
It remained one-way traffic as Carrick’s great through ball released Martial whose shot was well kept out by the busy Boruc.
The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute through an unlikely source, defender Rojo who had stayed upfield after a corner.
Carrick squared a pass to Antonio Valencia whose wayward shot was deflected low past Boruc from eight yards and bis first Premier League goals for the Reds and only his second goal for the club.
Bournemouth drew level five minutes before the break, and completely against the run of play when Marc Pugh was fouled by Jones.
Former Reds’ player King smashed the spot kick high into the roof of the net to leave United shell shocked.
Ibrahimovic was the next played to be denied by Boruc as he dived full length to his left to turn away his shot. And the keeper then denied Rooney.
But there was drama in stoppage time when Bournemouth had captain Andrew Surman sent off for a second booking for an elbow on Ibrahimovic.
Surman was unlucky as there would easily been two other dismissals.
Mings went unpunished for a stamp on the head of Ibrahimovic, replays showed how bad it was.
And the Swede also went unpunished for a retaliatory elbow on Mings, an act of retribution, though Mr Friend gave him a stern talking to.
But the Cherries’ players were incensed that Ibrahimovic wasn’t sent off with keeper Boruc pursuing the referee almost to the half-way line.
And Cherries’ assistant Jason Tindall was also sent off as the players left the field for remonstrating with the match official.
The second half was one-way traffic as there was wave after wave of United attacks, but Boruc’s brilliance and determined defending kept United at bay.
Ibrahimovic had a shot deflected over while Boruc pulled off another super stop to turn away Pogba’s effort that was destined for the top corner.
United, desperately needing a breakthrough, made triple substitution with 20 minutes left when Shaw, Carrick and Rooney were replaced by Lingard, Marouane Fellaini and Marcus Rashford.
And they were given a chance to regain the lead when Mr Friend ruled Adam Smith handled as Pogba cut the ball. Smith argued the ball hit him in the chest.
Ibrahimovic’s spot kick was saved low to his right by Boruc, the keeper’s fourth penalty save since the start of last season.
It was a measure of how well Bournemouth defended that United only had one chance in the last 20 minutes of normal time and five of additional time, and that was when Rashford fired narrowly wide.
United lacked the know how and guile to break through the visiting defence and the 10-man fully deserved the reward for their efforts.