Manchester, Dec 22 (NationPress) AFC Bournemouth delivered a stunning display, overpowering Manchester United with a scoreline of 3-0 at Old Trafford. This victory marked their second consecutive 3-0 triumph over the Red Devils at this prestigious venue.
Goals from Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert, and Antoine Semenyo secured the Cherries' third straight away win, positioning them in fifth place in the Premier League during the Christmas season, ahead of defending champions Manchester City.
United’s Amad Diallo had the first significant chance in the sixth minute, but Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was quick to deny his low shot. Bournemouth appeared dangerous during counterattacks, with Semenyo testing United’s Andre Onana from a distance.
After a balanced opening phase, Bournemouth took the lead in the 29th minute. A foul by United’s Tyrell Malacia on Adam Smith granted the Cherries a free-kick on the right side. Ryan Christie delivered a precise ball that found the head of 19-year-old Huijsen, whose header glanced past Onana into the far corner. This lead was well-deserved for Bournemouth, who defended tenaciously as United increased their pressure towards the end of the first half. Bruno Fernandes came closest to leveling the score, with three attempts narrowly missing the goal or being saved by Arrizabalaga.
The second half saw United making tactical changes to find a way back into the match, but Bournemouth quickly extended their lead in the 60th minute. Kluivert was fouled in the penalty area by Noussair Mazraoui, and the Dutch winger calmly converted the resulting penalty, making it 2-0. Just three minutes later, it became 3-0. Semenyo intercepted a weak pass and, following a clever assist from Dango Ouattara, finished powerfully from close range.
Despite several late attempts from United, including efforts from Rasmus Højlund and Amad, Bournemouth held their ground. Arrizabalaga was in outstanding form, making key saves to preserve the clean sheet.
