Manchester United stunned 3-0 as Bournemouth break Old Trafford duck

There was jubilation for Bournemouth and a crimson embarrassment for Manchester United that would have been worse had Dango Ouattara’s late strike not been ruled out, via VAR, because of the same player’s handball. But make no mistake Erik ten Hag’s team were a rabble reminiscent of the United of the dog days under his predecessor, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and so at the final whistle the boos that greeted them were no surprise.

Bournemouth’s second goal, in the 67th minute, killed Ten Hag’s side off en route to the visitors’ first ever victory at Old Trafford. A loose Luke Shaw pass was intercepted by the Cherries, who motored upfield. Dominic Solanke fed Marcus Tavernier on the left and, when he lifted the ball in, up rose Philip Billing, recently on as a substitute, to crash in a memorable header.

Worse, if possible, was to follow as Ten Hag’s ragtag bunch conceded another aerial goal. This time Marcos Sensi was the visiting man whose header beat André Onana, this time to the United goalkeeper’s left.

Some of the home support left immediately, to the delight of the travelling fans.

All of this followed Dominic Solanke’s fifth minute strike – he might have had another towards the end – and meant by the final whistle Bournemouth had taken their total goal tally here from five to eight in a seventh league visit. The result leaves United with a goal difference of minus three from nine wins and seven defeats and reinforces the sense of this Ten Hag side as an enigma.

The manager himself might privately admit that he has little clue which one will turn up on any match day. Will it be the slick unit that administered a 2-1 defeat of Chelsea here on Wednesday? Or the insipid sleepwalkers that never convinced from the moment Solanke turned in Lewis Cook’s cross from the right?

This afternoon it was the latter. For Bournemouth, though, all is rosy as they have taken 13 points from the last 15 available.

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