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As it happenedended

Manchester United vs Bournemouth: Paul Pogba inspires side to third consecutive victory

re-live the action from Old Trafford

Callum Rice-Coates
Sunday 30 December 2018 18:13 GMT
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants permanent Manchester United job

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Paul Pogba's man-of-the-match display helped bring Manchester United's turbulent year to a positive end, with Bournemouth comprehensively defeated as caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer oversaw another morale-boosting performance.

The exciting post-Jose Mourinho era continues apace at Old Trafford, where players are now displaying freedom, fluidity and cohesion sorely lacking towards the end of the Portuguese's reign.

Pogba has enjoyed the starkest change in fortunes. A fortnight on from being an unused substitute in Mourinho's final match, the midfielder scored twice and set up another as United beat Eddie Howe's Cherries 4-1 in the final Premier League match of 2018.

United appear liberated by Solskjaer, whose side have scored 12 goals and picked up nine points since his appointment as caretaker manager. Sir Matt Busby and Mourinho are the only others to have won their first three league games as manager of the club. Re-live the action below:


Manchester United 2-0 Bournemouth

36 minutes

Young is in the book for a poor challenge on King by the byline. It was late and quite dangerous.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:06

Manchester United 2-0 Bournemouth

37 minutes

United just about deal with the free kick and then clear a corner as Bournemouth look to find a way back into the game.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:07

Manchester United 2-0 Bournemouth

37 minutes

A long throw comes, which United struggle to cope with. King fires a shot off from a tight angle, bringing a save from De Gea.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:08

Manchester United 2-0 Bournemouth

42 minutes

Young swings a free kick towards the back post, which is met by Matic. He tries to hit it first time but gets it wrong and Bournemouth clear.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:13

GOAL! Manchester United 3-0 Bournemouth (Rashford)

45 minutes

Three goals before half time and there could yet be more to come. Martial breaks in behind Bournemouth's defence, cuts back and lifts a ball with the outside of his foot towards Rashford. He slides in and rolls the ball into the corner. Surely game over now.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:15

GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Bournemouth (Ake)

45+2 minutes

Maybe it's not game over. United fail to clear a corner and David Brooks puts the ball back into the middle. Ake is there to head home and give Bournemouth some hope before the break.

Posted By Callum Rice-Coates | 12/30/2018 5:18:07 PM

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:18

Half time: Plenty of attacking football and plenty of goals. This is what United fans want to see. Two for Pogba and Rashford's late strike put United in control before Bournemouth pulled one back in injury time. United are in control, though, and look capable of scoring more.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:19

  ↵It's all about Paul Pogba at the moment. He looks reinvigorated, almost a new player, under Solskjaer. He had three goals in his previous 17 under Mourinho. Now he's got four in two, and he might not be finished yet.

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:21

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:23

Bournemouth get us back underway. Can they salvage anything from this one?

Callum Rice-Coates30 December 2018 17:33

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