Premier League: Bournemouth vs Manchester United Live
Preview: Bournemouth vs Manchester United
Bournemouth vs Manchester United comes off on Saturday at 4:30pm at the Vitality stadium as the Red devils attempt to secure their first win in the Premier League in more than a month. Bournemouth is aiming to achieve their first league double over Man United, having previously won 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford four months ago.
Andoni Iraola expressed disappointment over his team’s failure to be more ruthless in a 2-1 loss to Luton last week, ending their five-game unbeaten streak, with four wins and one draw. This defeat prevented them from moving into the top half of the Premier League standings. However, as they have only achieved a top-ten finish once in the past in this league, they still have significant goals to strive for. Their immediate focus is on trying to secure a fourth consecutive home win in the Premier League, a feat they have never accomplished before. Their previous three victories were against teams ranked lower in the table.
This recent series of setbacks could be a significant blow to Erik ten Hag’s position at Manchester United, as his team has lost seven points from winning positions in just eight days, with all three matches seeing them concede goals after the 80th minute, drawing two and losing one. This winless streak following the international break has effectively dashed United’s hopes of finishing in the top five, leaving them struggling to hold onto sixth place as their competitors gain momentum.
A season-long defensive injury crisis has led to United having a negative goal difference at this point in the season for the first time in Premier League history. Their vulnerability is particularly evident in the latter stages of games, especially away from home, where they have conceded 19 of their 24 league goals after halftime.
Head-to-head
Manchester United emerged victorious in 9 matches, drew in 1, and suffered defeat in just 3 out of their last 13 encounters with Bournemouth. Nevertheless, the Cherries secured a convincing 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in December of last year.
Prediction
In the upcoming weeks, Man United will face a challenge to maintain their hopes of finishing in the top five, as they cannot afford to lose any more points. On the other hand, the Cherries need to start winning again to have a chance at making a late push for the top seven. Although Bournemouth defeated Manchester United comfortably in their last encounter, this time it seems that the teams are evenly matched, and they may end up sharing the points in a draw.
