Match Report
For the second week in a row, Manchester United had to wait until Monday evening to play out their 16th game of this Premier League Season. As Old Trafford played host to Bournemouth. A game that was well worth the wait, and will go down as an instant classic.
The visitors have had struggles on the road this season, but with United stuttering home form, there was no predicting how this one would go, and so it proved.
The game kicked off under the bright lights, United followed suit, and made a bright opening to the game pressing high and maintaining possession whilst peppering Petrovic's goal. The Cherries struggled in the early exchanges to get a foot hold in the game and it didn't take Manchester United long to open the scoring.
As in the 13th Minute Amad; who will be leaving to join Cote D'Ivoire at The African Cup Of Nations at full time said farewell to the fans by opening the scoring with a header. As he reacted first to the looping ball which was past the Bournemouth shot stopper and just needed a composed finish to knock it into the empty net, which the Ivorian dually obliged. A short VAR check added a hint of jeopardy, but after the usual wait the referee awarded the goal. 1-0 United.
Unlike past games, it seemed as if United knew they needed more, and kept the pressure on the away side for large swathes of the first period without being able to add to the lead. It felt like Bournemouth where digging in, buying their time and waiting for their moment. The longer United couldn't add to that lead, the more inevitable that felt. That inevitability came to fruition 5 minutes before half time, as Shaw got dispossessed and the ball made its way to the ever reliable Semenyo. A composed finish from the Ghanaian saw him place the ball across the United keeper into the bottom corner. A really smart finish, to level the game 1-1.
Semenyo, if he wasn't already, quickly became the villain of the piece. Where he reacted to a foul committed by Dalot and appeared to grab the United defender by the throat. It was deemed by match referee Simon Hooper to only be a yellow card offence. Both players were sent away with bookings, to the audible "boos" from the stands.
If that wasn't enough, the first half was not finished for goals, Casemiro thought he had scored from a usual instinctive header which was deflected behind for a corner. Fernandes proceeded to take the resulting corner, which was swung in towards the Brazilian who out muscled his marker, headed down and beat Petrovic at his near post. On replay the keeper should have done much better and would have been disappointed not to keep it out. But nobody of a United persuasion cared as their lead was restored. 2-1, and half time. But if the first half was anything to go by, this game was far from over.
The second kicked of, and in stark contrast to the first the away side came out with much more purpose and where on the front foot. United looked leggy, and as if they hadn't really re-appeared from their half time oranges; assuming that's what they still eat at half time, and Bournemouth took full advantage as Evanilson was slipped through on goal and finished to level the game, 2-2 just a minute after the restart.
This galvanised the away team, and they kept coming, smelling blood. Tavernier marauded through midfield and looked like he had once again opened United up. Casemiro, used his experience to sniff out the danger but in doing so brought the Bournemouth man down on the edge of the area. A free-kick in a very promising position. But a challenge that almost certainly prevented a goal.
Or at least it did for a few seconds. Tavernier still running off the adrenaline, lined himself up from the free kick and beat Lammens at the goalkeepers side. A free kick the keeper should have done better with. But as in the first, Bournemouth this time didn't care, and in the blink of an eye the game had turned on its head, 2-3.
United and all associated were shell shocked, it felt like another home game that was ending in disaster. But this time United prized Half Time league record was at stake, a record which goes back to 1984. Surely not another unwanted record broken by Ruben Amorim?
Despite the shock, United did come back into the game, as Mainoo came on once again to huge ovation from the Old Trafford faithful, and the ever spoken about system appeared to switch to a more conventional 4-4-2. This allowed United to attack at pace and with purpose, this seemingly allowed United to field all of their best players. Nobody prospered more from this than Cunha, who started to have real influence on the game, progressing the ball and the team forward. But, the home side still needed a goal; or two.
As is almost customary at this point, when United need a goal or a big moment who do they look to? Yes, their captain. Fernandes had the chance from a free kick awarded for a handball on the edge of the area. The skipper didn't think twice, as he curled a sumptuous "up and over" into the top corner. No keeper in the world would have kept this one out. United were level 3-3, but there was still 15 or so minutes to play. This one had more goals in it.
So it proved, as Cunha this time found himself deservedly on the scoresheet. As he collected the ball following a slip from Truffert and calmly side footed it beyond Petrovic. A bit like Bournemouth early in the first; in the blink of an eye the game had completely turned once again. Šeško deserved a mention for his assist in the goal too. You feel both will be extremely important to Manchester United in the absence of Mbeumo and Amad whilst away at AFCON. The attacker celebrated his goal in front of the Stretford End with a little Brazilian Samba number. But was it to early to celebrate with 10 minutes to go?
The answer to that was yes, yes it was. The pendulum still had more time to swing, and so it proved. As this time Bournemouth substitute Junior Kroupie would get his moment off the bench as in the 84th minute he found himself in-between United's centre backs and coolly slotted past Lammens, busting out an even more lavish celebration similar to that Nani was famed for. 4-4.
This was a game that nobody wanted to end, and at times felt as if the referee was playing for "next goal wins," and the away side came closest to that through Brooks guided a header goal wards only to be blocked by Lammens, the Belgian shot stopper also made another crucial save right at the death once again from the Welsh international. There is no doubt that it wasn't the young United keepers best performance, but he saved his team twice at the end, and preserved that revered record; for another week at least.
A breathless, and at times ridiculous game of football finally came to an end at over 100 minutes. Both sides will have regrets, and likely be disappointed to not have taken all 3 points. But for the neutral, a game to savour.
