The loss to Manchester City on Sunday has left them 11 points behind the league leaders. They know now that the title is there for City to lose and all they can do is keep trying to win their own games. They have a great chance of earning three points as they host a Bournemouth side who have gone four league games without a win.
United tried their best on Sunday but just couldn’t get the win against Manchester City. It could have been a heavier defeat and going 11 points behind, even if it is still only December, is a massive blow to their title hopes. Their fixture list gives them the chance to go on an unbeaten run and perhaps finishing second in the Premier League and winning a cup would still be considered a successful season, even if their Manchester rivals will have major bragging points.
None of their next eight league games are against sides currently in the top six so the chance to continue to put pressure on City is there. A return to goal scoring form for Romelu Lukaku would be a boost but Marcus Rashford has found the back of the net in the last two games and is always worth an anytime goal scorer bet. It’s likely that Mourinho will rotate his squad for this game with another match due at the weekend. Perhaps Ibrahimovic will see more of the action in this game as United bid for a convincing win too boost their confidence.
Bournemouth could certainly do with a confidence boost at the present having failed to win any of their last five Premier League games. They are 14th in the table after the weekend games and only three points above the bottom three. Their goal difference is much better than the teams below them, so they won’t be wanting a heavy defeat in this match.
The weekend saw them get a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace, but they were ahead in that game in the first half. They have a bad habit of doing that and have dropped ten points from winning positions in the Premier League this season. It’s happened in their last two league games having also taken a 1-0 lead against Southampton before drawing 1-1.
If they survive relegation by a point or stay up on goal difference, Bournemouth may well have to send a thank-you note to Christian Benteke. They could so easily have lost that game at Selhurst Park but for that rogue penalty miss.
Their upcoming fixture list has to have fans worried their team may be in a relegation battle next year. After this trip to Old Trafford, they host Liverpool and then travel back to Manchester to take on City. One bright note at the weekend was the form of Jermaine Defoe who scored both Bournemouth goals at Palace. If he can continue that form, it’ll be a major boost for the Cherries who have only scored 15 league goals this season.
Conclusion
Manchester United have it all to do if they want to win their first Premier League title since the days when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge. They’ll have to go on a long unbeaten run to have any chance but can start that with three points against relegation threatened Bournemouth.
Last Five Premier League Results – Most recent first
Manchester United – LWWW
Bournemouth – DDLDW
Head to Head – Last Four League Meetings
04/03/17 – Manchester United 1 Bournemouth 1
14/08/16 – Bournemouth 1 Manchester United 3
17/05/16 – Manchester United 3 Bournemouth 1
12/12/15 – Bournemouth 2 Manchester United 1
- The two sides have only had four league games with both teams scoring in each of them.
- Manchester United have won eight of their last nine home Premier League games.
- Only Newcastle United and Manchester City have scored a Premier League goal away to Manchester United this season.
- The loss to Manchester City ended a run of 24 home Premier League games without defeat for United. They last lost a home game to a side other than Manchester City in January 2016 when losing to Southampton.
- Manchester United have scored in their last 12 home Premier League games
- Bournemouth have only scored more than one goal in two of their away games in the Premier League this season.
- Bournemouth have only won two of their last eight away Premier League games.
- Bournemouth have scored in four of their last six away Premier League matches.
- Bournemouth have gone four league games without a win.
- Bournemouth have dropped ten points from winning positions in the league this season.