Bournemouth thrash United 3-0 at Old Trafford

Manchester United suffered a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth on Sunday, capping off a miserable week for Ruben Amorim’s side following their League Cup quarter-final exit to Tottenham.

Bournemouth, under Andoni Iraola, repeated their feat from last season with another emphatic win at Old Trafford, leaving United languishing in 13th place heading into Christmas.

Goals from Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert, and Antoine Semenyo sealed the visitors’ triumph and elicited boos from frustrated home fans at full-time.

Huijsen capitalised on United’s ongoing set-piece woes, heading in Ryan Christie’s free-kick in the 29th minute. Kluivert doubled the lead with a penalty in the 61st minute after Noussair Mazraoui brought him down in the box.

Two minutes later, Semenyo completed the rout, converting a cutback from Dango Ouattara following a defensive lapse.

“It was hard on us,” Amorim said post-match. “We were nervous, and it showed in the stadium. We need to control moments like these better. We have to fight through this and keep trying to win. That’s the only way I know.”

Marcus Rashford’s absence from the squad for a third consecutive match added to the pre-game tension. The forward, who recently expressed a desire for a “new challenge,” has sparked transfer rumours ahead of the January window.

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes reacts after missing a chance to score. Photo: Reuters

When asked about Rashford’s potential return for United’s next match against Wolves on December 26, Amorim remained non-committal. “It depends, we’ll see,” he said.

United’s attacking threat was minimal without Rashford, and their defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed. Tyrell Malacia was substituted at half-time following his involvement in the build-up to Bournemouth’s first goal. Subsequent changes, including the introduction of Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund, failed to turn the tide.

The result marked United’s fourth defeat in nine matches under Amorim, highlighting the challenges facing the new manager since replacing Erik ten Hag in November.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth celebrated a move up to fifth place in the Premier League standings, with their jubilant fans chanting, “Man United, it’s happened again.”

For Manchester United, the festive period offers little cheer as they search for solutions to a season that is slipping away.