Boos echoed around Old Trafford as Bournemouth secured a stunning 3-0 victory over Manchester United for the second consecutive season, highlighting the Red Devils’ ongoing struggles under new manager Ruben Amorim.
The defeat was eerily reminiscent of last year’s result, when Erik ten Hag was at the helm and the Cherries similarly exploited United’s glaring vulnerabilities. Despite a change in leadership, the hosts fell victim to familiar shortcomings, particularly their persistent frailty from set-pieces.
Manchester United began the match with energy, working hard without reward in the first half. However, their efforts unraveled after the break, with individual errors and a lack of creativity in the attacking third proving costly. Amorim’s decision to leave Marcus Rashford out of the squad for a third consecutive match is sure to raise further questions about his tactical choices.
Bournemouth teenager Dean Huijsen opened the scoring, capitalizing on United’s poor set-piece marking by heading in Ryan Christie’s free-kick unchallenged. The home side’s defensive fragility was further exposed in the second half when Justin Kluivert converted a penalty, swiftly followed by Antoine Semenyo’s clinical finish just over two minutes later.
The back-to-back goals sealed United’s seventh Premier League defeat of the season and marked the heaviest blow of Amorim’s tenure so far. The Portuguese manager had warned of a challenging transition, but a fourth loss in his opening nine games has intensified the scrutiny on his leadership and the team’s broader issues.
For Bournemouth, the victory propels them into fifth place, showcasing the impressive progress made under Andoni Iraola. Meanwhile, United find themselves marooned in 13th, their lowest position at Christmas since the 1989-90 season, a stark reminder of the challenges facing Amorim as he seeks to steady the ship
