Manchester United 0, Bournemouth 3
Dominic Solanke, Phillip Billing, and Marcos Senesi scored as Bournemouth stunned a rainswept Old Trafford with their first ever win there.
A decade to the day after former United manager David Moyes said that United “must improve in a number of areas, including passing, creating chances and defending” those words came back to haunt the Reds as Bournemouth won their first ever game at Old Trafford at the 11th attempt.
Manchester United might have dominated possession but they were defensively sloppy and gifted the first two goals through cheap loss of possession by Sergio Reguilon and Luke Shaw while Marcos Senesi’s goal was simple poor defending from a corner.
And after the booing had subsided Old Trafford had already started emptying out following Senesi’s goal as the Reds came back down to earth with a bump after their win against Chelsea on Wednesday.
United were only spared the embarrassment of a 4-0 drubbing by a VAR check for handball on an injury time goal by Dango Ouattara but the fact that Bruno Fernandes will now miss the crucial game at Anfield against Liverpool after collecting his 5th booking of the season will only increase the gloom and swirling rubbish which descended on the Old Trafford at full time.
United were behind after just 5 minutes after a casual ball out of defence by Sergio Reguilon was intercepted by Lewis Cook who raided past a static Reds’ defence and cut the ball back for Dominic Solanke to score.
It was the 6th opening goal at Old Trafford that United had conceded this season – behind only Sheffield United with 7 – as the Reds started far too slowly.
Marcus Tavernier’s header beat Andre Onana but was deemed offside after Milos Kerkes’ ball to Solanke in the build-up and his header was parried by the United keeper only as far as Tavernier.
And Solanke should have doubled the Cherries’ lead after 39 minutes when he broke clear of the defence thanks to Cook but his shot came off the back post with Onana diving late.
With United’s attempts to build up floundering they went longer but only allowed Bournemouth chances to attack on the break, Harry Maguire blocked a great chance for Solanke to score in first half added time.
And Solanke was denied again after the restart after he tried to chop inside to create some space but for some more last ditch defending.
Milos Kerkez chances from Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes as the Reds started to apply pressure.
There were loud cheers around Old Trafford when Erik Ten Hag introduced Rasmus Hojlund for the largely ineffective Anthony Martial after 56 minutes.
Bournemouth responded by bringing on Phillip Billing who was wrongly flagged offside when his shot went wide of the back post.
And there were boos after 73 minutes when a corner by Tavernier was converted by Marcos Senesi, who was unmarked, from 7 yards out.
The game was up and United made a trio of changes with 11 minutes to go, bringing on Facundo Pellistri, Jonny Evans, and Marcus Rashford for Antony, Shaw, and Alejandro Garnacho.
But the setbacks continued and Bruno Fernandes will now miss the Liverpool game after collecting his 5th booking of the season.
And Dango Ouattara thought he had delivered the fourth goal that visiting fans were baying for in added time after Harry Maguire was robbed by Solanke who played him in to finish past Onana but VAR spotted an accidental handball as the unbalanced substitute tried to stay on his feet while scoring.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 0, Bournemouth 3
Andre Onana: 5. VAR checked early after tangling with Dominic Solanke in opening seconds and then caught out by the striker as United were done on the break. Looked vulnerable as Bournemouth started to test him properly.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Caught napping in midfield early on but Cherries could not capitalise. Hit the side netting after lightning counter attack with Antony.
Harry Maguire: 6. License to roam, looping header tipped over by Neto. Big block to deny Dominic Solanke another chance to shoot. Big error at the end to present Bournemouth with a fourth goal but saved by VAR.
Luke Shaw: 5. Playing at centre back, culmination of errors both early on and for two of the Bournemouth goals ultimately costly for United.
Sergio Reguilon: 6. Had chances to create for the Reds but final pass wasn’t great – his early pass out to Scott McTominay was intercepted leading to Bournemouth’s first goal. Not really tall enough to challenge Phillip Billing for his goal.
Scott McTominay: 6. Didn’t see enough of the ball going forward. Had a great chance early in the second half blocked by Milos Kerkez.
Sofyan Amrabat: 5. Played deep and recycled the ball intelligently but not always alert to Bournemouth attacks and fell into a trap late on passing the ball to Harry Maguire who was robbed for a goal that was fortunately ruled out by handball.
Antony: 6. Disciplined attacking performance at times but still some petulance. Furious when he got nothing from the referee after he went down trying to get past Milos Kerkez who he had a proper battle of wits with. Linked well with Diogo Dalot when they could get forward.
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Pushed up looking for action, saw great chance blocked by Milos Kerkez. Sloppy at times and a late booking will see him miss the Liverpool game.
Alejandro Garnacho: 6. Early danger but inconsistent service from the left. Accidentally whacked in the face by Adam Smith when trying to defend a ball.
Anthony Martial: 5. Anonymous again despite making a bit of an effort to link play up.
Rasmus Hojlund (on for Anthony Martial, 56): 6. Battled upfront, fouled and flagged offside but was thwarted by solid Bournemouth defending.
Facundo Pellistri (On for Antony, 79): No time to mark
Jonny Evans (On for Luke Shaw, 79): No time to mark
Marcus Rashford (On for Alejandro Garnacho, 79): No time to mark
TEAM NEWS – Manchester United 0, Bournemouth 3
Anthony Martial and Sergio Reguilon came into the side for Rasmus Hojlund and Victor Lindelof (who was not named in today’s match day squad). Luke Shaw partnered Harry Maguire in the centre of defence. Following reports of illness in the week Marcus Rashford stayed on the bench alongside Hojlund who was rested ahead of the visit of Bayern Munich on Sunday.
And United won a special treble of Premier League Manager of the Month (Ten Hag), Player of the Month (Maguire), and Goal of the Month (Alejandro Garnacho’s overhead kick against Everton).
GOALS – Manchester United 0, Bournemouth 3
Man Utd 0, Bournemouth 1: 5. Dominic Solanke scored with a flick inside the back post from a cutback by Lewis Cook after Sergio Reguilon’s pass to Scott McTominay was anticipated and intercepted by the Bournemouth midfielder.
Man Utd 0, Bournemouth 2: 68. Phil Billing’s towering header at the back post doubled the lead after sloppy pass out by Luke Shaw. Solanke carried the ball into the United territory and fed the ball to Marcus Tavernier whose cross found the big midfielder.
Man Utd 0, Bournemouth 3: 73. Marcos Senesi rose unmarked and headed the Cherries into dreamland from 7 yards out after meeting Marcus Tavernier’s corner.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 0, Bournemouth 3
Man Utd: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Shaw (Evans 79), Reguilon, McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat, Antony (Pellistri 79), Fernandes, Garnacho (Rashford 79), Martial (Hojlund 56)
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, van de Beek, Mainoo
Bookings: Hojlund 60; Fernandes 84 (foul on Adam Smith)
Bournemouth: Neto, Adam Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Lewis Cook (Rothwell 88), Christie, Semenyo (Billing 58), Kluivert (Sinisterra 72), Tavernier (Ouattara 88), Solanke
Bournemouth Subs not used: Travers, Mepham, Brooks, Moore, Kilkenny
Booked: Tavernier 27 (time wasting); Kluivert 30 (foul on Sergio Reguilon)
Goals: Solanke 5; Billing 68; Senesi 73
Referee: Peter Bankes
Attendance: 73,427