Manchester United 4-4 Bournemouth: Red Devils display attacking verve but also huge defensive issues
In the last two occasions when Bournemouth have come to Old Trafford they have been beaten Manchester United 3-0, a grim record that precedes Amorim. So, strange as it is to say, this game was always going to be a marker of how far the Portuguese has brought his side since his appointment over 12 months ago.
United impressed, showed again that goals are no longer a problem and hit four past Andoni Iraola’s side. The only problem is they also conceded four. All the attacking efforts on the night were undermined by schoolboy defending that repeatedly invited trouble in a breathless 4-4 draw.
In terms of positives, Amorim’s side are sixth, two points off the top four; have lost only once in nine games; scored four goals twice; and have scored 30 league goals so far this season, with only Manchester City having scored more. But the catch is that they have also conceded 26 goals, and have repeatedly missed chances to punish struggling opponents and move upward in the table.
United looked in control early on and struck first through Amad Diallo, playing his final match before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations. The winger both started and finished the move, reacting quickest after Matheus Cunha’s header struck goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, nodding the ball in from close range.
Amorim’s side were sharp and fluid, moving the ball with purpose and pinning Bournemouth back. Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo all threatened as United pressed for a second. But, following the season’s motif so far, they just did not do enough to punish the opponent who was at their mercy and all the good work was undone.
Bournemouth levelled when Antoine Semenyo surged forward from distance and finished across Senne Lammens, punishing slack defending down United’s left. United regained the lead in first-half stoppage time when Fernandes’ corner was met by Casemiro, whose header slipped through Petrovic’s hands, but within minutes of the restart Bournemouth drew level again, Evanilson clinically converting after Marcus Tavernier split United’s defence with a precise pass.
United were then on the back foot. Tavernier put the visitors ahead with a free-kick and it looked like it would be another miserable night for a United side that looked on the verge of collapse, but Amorim restored calm when he introduced Kobbie Mainoo and urged his side higher up the pitch.
The Red Devils rallied. Fernandes dragged them level with a superbly struck free-kick on 77 minutes before Cunha swept home two minutes later after the returning Benjamin Sesko’s cross deflected kindly into his path.
Surely, that was it? Game set and matched? There was still some added twist as substitute Junior Kroupi was amateurishly allowed space in the box to make it 4-4, and with six minutes to go, the pendulum was ready to swing either way. Cunha’s effort was easily arrested by Petrovic. David Brooks attacked the United goal twice and was denied by Lammens both times, either side of Joshua Zirkzee’s header across goal that failed to find a teammate.
