Manchester United's hopes of building on their recent triumph against Chelsea were shattered as they succumbed to a humiliating 3-0 defeat against a resilient Bournemouth side, managed by the intense and brave Andoni Iraola. This marked the Red Devils' joint-worst defeat of the season, leaving fans stunned and disheartened.
From the first whistle, Erik ten Hag's side seemed a far cry from the team that had impressed against Chelsea, appearing shaky and disjointed throughout the match. Dominic Solanke initiated Bournemouth's onslaught with an early goal, followed by headers from Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi in the second half, sealing a comprehensive victory for the visitors.
The potential embarrassment was further compounded when Dango Ouattara thought he had added a fourth in added time, only for VAR to intervene and spare United from an even greater humiliation. Nevertheless, by that point, most home fans had already left Old Trafford, unable to bear witness to the dismal performance on display.
Player Ratings:
Goalkeeper & Defence:
- Andre Onana (5/10): Shaky start, not directly responsible for goals.
- Diogo Dalot (5/10): Average defensively, missed an opportunity offensively.
- Harry Maguire (6/10): United's best player, but little to celebrate.
- Luke Shaw (4/10): Struggled at centre-back, out-jumped for the second goal.
- Sergio Reguilon (5/10): Passionate but poor decision-making.
- Sofyan Amrabat (4/10): Couldn't cope with Bournemouth's intensity.
- Scott McTominay (4/10): Poor on the ball, gave it away repeatedly.
- Bruno Fernandes (5/10): Struggled with over-hit passes, suspended for the next game.
- Antony (5/10): Ineffectual despite hard work.
- Anthony Martial (3/10): Slow, weak, and created almost nothing.
- Alejandro Garnacho (5/10): Nullified by the opposition, struggled for room.
- Rasmus Hojlund (5/10): An improvement on Martial but received a silly booking.
- Facundo Pellistri (N/A): Limited impact after coming on.
- Jonny Evans (N/A): Came on and looked hapless for the potential fourth goal.
- Marcus Rashford (N/A): Faced familiar challenges, unable to beat his man.
- Erik ten Hag (4/10): Questions raised about his lineup choices and halftime decisions.
