Huijsen(Left) and Semenyo
Manchester United Slips to 13th in Premier League After Grim Old Trafford Defeat
Manchester United’s struggles hit a new low as Bournemouth secured a dominant 3-0 victory at Old Trafford, marking the Red Devils’ first Christmas in the bottom half of the table since 1989. Goals from Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert, and Antoine Semenyo sealed the Cherries’ fifth-place standing, edging them above Aston Villa on goal difference.
Dean Huijsen opened the scoring in the 29th minute, capitalizing on a Ryan Christie free kick. A clumsy challenge by United’s Noussair Mazraoui handed Kluivert a penalty in the 61st minute, which he calmly converted. Just two minutes later, Semenyo finished off a quick counterattack to secure Bournemouth’s convincing win.
Pre-match discussions were dominated by Marcus Rashford’s exclusion from the squad for the third consecutive game under manager Ruben Amorim. However, even Rashford’s return seemed unlikely to prevent United’s continued struggles.
Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, praised his side’s “solid and mature performance,” adding, “We kept pushing and regrouped well after halftime. It’s a great result, and our 28 points at Christmas show strong progress.”
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, alongside a young defense, played a pivotal role in their success.
Meanwhile, United manager Ruben Amorim lamented his team’s repeated defensive lapses, comparing the performance to their recent struggles against Tottenham. “We need to stay calm after conceding and understand that matches have different phases. It’s tough for everyone, especially the fans,” Amorim said.
The loss leaves Manchester United in 13th place, with their next match against Wolves on Boxing Day. Bournemouth will look to maintain their form as they host Crystal Palace.
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