Bournemouth delivered a stunning 3-0 Premier League triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford for the second consecutive season, leaving the Red Devils in the bottom half of the table at Christmas for the first time since 1989.
Reflecting their contrasting fortunes, Bournemouth arrived at Old Trafford with a three-point lead over a struggling Manchester United side, whose hopes of silverware diminished after Thursday’s EFL Cup quarter-final loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Following a subdued opening, the home crowd was dismayed to witness their team concede the first goal for the sixth successive match, as Bournemouth capitalized on a set-piece opportunity just before the half-hour mark. Dean Huijsen connected with Ryan Christie’s in-swinging free-kick, directing a glancing header past Onana for his first Premier League away goal.
The former Roma defender nearly went from hero to villain when he conceded possession deep in his own half, but Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga intervened with a timely save to deny Bruno Fernandes. Trailing at halftime, an unhappy Ruben Amorim made a double substitution just nine minutes into the second half, introducing Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund in an attempt to spark a comeback.
However, their challenge intensified when Noussair Mazraoui conceded a penalty for a clumsy tackle on Justin Kluivert. Kluivert, who scored three penalties in last month’s victory over Wolves, once again demonstrated his proficiency from the spot, waiting for Onana to commit before calmly placing the ball into the net. Just two minutes later, a shell-shocked Onana was retrieving the ball from his net again after Antoine Semenyo converted Dango Ouattara’s cut-back, sending the travelling fans into jubilation while the rest of Old Trafford watched in stunned silence.
Fortunately for United’s frustrated supporters, the rampant visitors inflicted no further damage. Semenyo’s fifth goal of the season capped off a fourth win in five games in impressive fashion for Andoni Iraola’s team, who enter Christmas in fifth place. While Bournemouth dreams of European qualification, Manchester United remains in 13th, enduring what is becoming a truly nightmarish season. Sources and related content
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