Manchester United were at their very best and their very worst in an illogical but hugely entertaining 4-4 draw at home to Bournemouth. Amad Diallo and Casemiro gave United the lead either side of Antoine Semenyo’s equaliser but two goals early in the second half had the Red Devils on the back foot. Bruno Fernandes dug them out with a beautiful free-kick before Matheus Cunha made it 4-3.
But Junior Kroupi’s equaliser pegged United back for a third time and they had to make do with a draw, leaving them with just two points from their last three home games.
There was a lot of intrigue about how United would line-up after reports Amorim was going to stray from the 3-4-3 he has played in every game so far. The starting XI suggested more of the same although on the pitch the formation looked more like 4-4-2, with Dalot playing left-back and Leny Yoro right-back while Amad Diallo was in a midfield three.
United made a fast start and after a flurry of early chances they took a deserved lead when Amad pounced to head a bouncing ball over the line after Djordje Petrovic had clawed a glanced header from Cunha into the air. United kept on pushing and Mbeumo, Casemiro and Cunha all had attempts to double their lead but Bournemouth punished them with a brilliant run down the right by Semenyo, who fired in off the post to score his seventh goal of the season but his first in eight matches.
Beating Wolverhampton Wanderers is ‘a specific case’ – Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim refuses to get carried away as his team ease to a 4-1 victory
Beating Wolverhampton Wanderers is ‘a specific case’ – Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim refuses to get carried away as his team ease to a 4-1 victory- This video will start in: 57s
United got their noses back in front right before half-time when Casemiro headed in from a corner, helped by some more sloppy goalkeeping from Petrovic. But their lead barely lasted the length of the half-time break, Evanilson capitalising on the inexperience of Yoro and Heaven and nipping in to score his first goal since August. United looked rattled and six minutes later they were behind, Tavernier netting straight from a free-kick.
Fernandes responded with his own sizzling free-kick to level and Cunha looked to have snatched a famous victory, only for substitute Junior Kroupi to score the game’s eighth goal in the 84th minute. Both sides looked for a winner to this incredible game and it took two fine saves from Senne Lammens to prevent David Brooks pouring yet more misery on Amorim.