Bournemouth vs Man Utd LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as controversial penalty earns visitors a draw
Bournemouth 2-2 Manchester United: Erik ten Hag’s drop further away from the Champions League spot
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Bournemouth had to settle for a point against Manchester United after a controversial penalty decision allowed the lacklustre visitors to draw level in the second half.
Dominic Solanke’s fizzing effort gave the Cherries the lead before Bruno Fernandes turned a loose ball into the back of the net from close range. The hosts took advantage of some slack defending as Justin Kluivert weaved into the box and slotted the ball past Andre Onana to restore the lead.
With United bereft of creativity and pass bounced up to strike Adam Smith on the arm inside his own box with referee Tony Harrington pointing to the spot and VAR deciding not to overturn. Fernandes scored the penalty and salvaged a draw for Erik ten Hag’s men.
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Bournemouth vs Manchester United LIVE
Just 10 minutes until kick-off at the Vitality, and it’s a lovely day down south.
What sort of version of Manchester United will we see today? The Cherries hammered the away side in December on their way to a historic 3-0 win at Old Trafford – the first in the team’s history.
Adoni Iraola’s side come into the game off the back of a disappointing 2-1 loss to Luton, but they have pretty much guaranteed safety with eight games to go, and sit in 12th in what has been a remarkable campaign.
Head-to-head
This will be the 22nd meeting between these two sides, with Manchester United winning 14 of them.
Three have been drawn, while Bournemouth have won four, including the most recent meeting. The Cherries won 3-0 at Old Trafford in December – their first ever win at the famous stadium.
Before that, United had won the last three meetings between the two sides 5-2, 3-0 and 1-0.
Manchester United need new recruits to fix underlying issue in Erik ten Hag’s plans
Erik ten Hag sounded unusually poetic. “When old soldiers die, new ones have to come in,” he said, explaining the teenager Willy Kambwala’s selection against Liverpool. Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane were Manchester United’s latest defensive casualties but news of their deaths came as a surprise, perhaps to the players themselves.
But as Ten Hag talked about the 27 different defences he has fielded, whether by injury or choice, so far this season, his militaristic phrase hinted at a reason. Four of United’s five main central defenders are old soldiers. And if it is then illogical that the man who has made the fewest appearances of the quintet, Lisandro Martinez, is the youngest – and also, in style or play, the most warrior-like, compared to the sleeker Varane or the more cerebral Evans – there is an underlying issue.
United have acquired or kept too many old soldiers in recent years. The recent past has seen a £100m outlay on Casemiro and Varane, bought to spend their footballing dotage at Old Trafford. Like Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, who at least was a free transfer, lacks the mobility required in midfield. Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof were acquired with their best years ahead of them but, at 31 and almost 30 respectively, they form other reasons why a defensive overhaul may be necessary this summer.
Manchester United need new recruits to fix underlying issue in Erik ten Hag’s plans
Ten Hag’s throwaway phrase of ‘old soldiers’ in the United ranks contained a deeper truth: too many have reached their footballing end at Old Trafford
Team news
The Cherries make three changes to the team that started last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Luton.
Dango Ouattara, Luis Sinisterra and Marcos Senesi come in for Lloyd Kelly and the injured duo of Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier.
Team news
So Manchester United remain unchanged from the side that started last weekend’s 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool.
Injuries mean Willy Kambwala retains his place in central defence, while Rashford is fit to start after coming off in that game. Scott McTominay remains out.
United’s bench contains summer signing Mason Mount and four teenagers including Omari Forson, Harry John Amass, Habeeb Ogunneye and Ethan Wheatley.
Team news
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Sinisterra, Kluivert, Dango Outtara; Solanke.
SUBS: Travers, Kelly, Faivre, Scott, Hill, Unal, Philip, Aarons, Gonzalez.
MAN UNITED XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Kambwala, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes; Garnacho, Rashford, Hojlund.
SUBS: Bayindir, Amass, Ogunneye, Amad, Amrabat, Eriksen, Mount, Forson, Wheatley.
Raphael Varane injury deals further blow to Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United
With the announcement of the line-ups approaching, here’s some early teams news.
Raphael Varane has been ruled out for several weeks to leave Manchester United in a defensive injury crisis.
While the World Cup winner is hoping to be fit before the end of the season, manager Erik ten Hag will be without three of his senior centre-backs for the next few games, including the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry, with Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof both also weeks away from a return.
And a fourth central defender, Jonny Evans, will sit out Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth with a lesser muscle injury, meaning Harry Maguire is the only senior specialist centre-back fit. In addition, left-back Luke Shaw, who was used at centre-back at times last season, is also on the sidelines.
Scott McTominay is also out, while Rashford will be assessed.
Raphael Varane injury deals further blow to Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United
Manchester United have been plunged into an injury crisis in recent weeks
Erik ten Hag emphasises need to replace Man Utd football director John Murtough
And following that news, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says he will miss the support of the dparted football director, and has emphasised the importance of replacing him.
Asked about Murtough leaving at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, Ten Hag said: “You mention the new season – it’s very important, the new ownership is working on this and we have to replace this function to go into the new season.
“For the moment, of course I miss his support, but he moved on, there has been choices made. We work very good together, so I say thank you to John and I wish him all the best for the future.
“Also I work with the new ownership very good and closely together and that will not change. It doesn’t have an impact on the way I can work here.
“Conditions were perfect and are still perfect, so I’m happy with that, but we want to set the right conditions to be successful.”
Erik ten Hag emphasises need to replace Man Utd football director John Murtough
United on Tuesday announced Murtough was stepping down from the post, having spent almost 11 years at the club in a variety of roles.
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