Another match, another set-piece goal as Manchester United slump to 3-0 EPL defeat by Bournemouth

LONDON – Manchester United continued their woeful record of defending set pieces as they were well beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth at Old Trafford in the English Premier League on Dec 22.

After Tyrell Malacia was adjudged to have fouled Adam Smith near the touchline, Dean Huijsen beat Joshua Zirkzee to head home Ryan Christie’s cross past Andre Onana in the 29th minute.

In United’s last six matches, they have conceded set-piece goals in all but one of them, a 2-1 Europa League win away to Viktoria Plzen.

In the Premier League, they have already conceded nine set-piece goals excluding penalties, the second-worst record after Wolverhampton Wanderers (16), who have the worst defensive record in the competition.

But the problem predates new manager Ruben Amorim or even the 2024-25 campaign. In 2024, the Red Devils have conceded 17 goals from non-penalty set pieces in the Premier League, the most in a calendar year in the competition’s history.

Defender Lisandro Martinez told the BBC: “We are so angry with this kind of situation. We have to work on set pieces especially. I believe a lot in this team and staff. If they don’t score their first goal from set pieces then it is a totally different game.”

Said Amorim: “It’s hard to push for two, three wins and we are trying. This game was hard on us. We suffered again on set pieces and we were a bit nervous, I felt it in the stadium...

“We were not conceding anything before the first goal, we had opportunities. If we manage to score the first goal then the game should be different. We want to score but we are too nervous... After the penalty, we need to control the game better.”

United finally came to life late into the half. Some neat play saw Amad Diallo cut the ball back to Bruno Fernandes, but he shot wide on 41 minutes.

Seconds later, he had an even better chance when United won the ball high up the pitch and Kobbie Mainoo slipped in Fernandes, whose shot was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

One minute before the break, Fernandes unleashed a dangerous shot from outside the box, but it went just wide.

But Bournemouth killed off any hope of a United comeback early in the second half.

On 61 minutes, Justin Kluivert lured Noussair Mazraoui into an ill-timed challenge in the penalty box and duly dispatched the spot kick for his sixth goal of the season.

Two minutes and eight seconds later, Antoine Semenyo made it 3-0 by finishing off a move he played a part in starting, when he converted a Dango Ouattara’s cut-back.

Substitutes Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro had chances for United but they could not find their way past Arrizabalaga as the Cherries moved up to fifth, three points off a Champions League spot.

United, meanwhile, remain stuck in 13th place.

Said Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola: “We won 3-0 but it was more difficult than it looks... I think we’ve been quite solid, it was a mature performance. Kepa’s performance has helped us this year... He is confident and in a very young defensive line, we need players with experience.

“I am happy that we were more clinical today. We scored from a set play. I think it was a solid performance. Not amazing, but it was solid.”

Off the pitch, there was another big talking point as Marcus Rashford was omitted from the squad for the third successive match.

It led former United defender Gary Neville to opine that fellow academy product Rashford is approaching the “inevitable ending” of his Old Trafford career after 426 matches and 138 goals.

Rashford, 27, told journalist Henry Winter on Dec 17 he was “ready for a new challenge and the next steps”, with former United and England fullback Neville believing little can now be done to stop a parting between player and club.

“It is not really big team news any more,” Neville told Sky Sports shortly before the match. “It is something of a norm, a pattern has developed over the last week. It was a surprise last weekend.

“It is getting to the point where you leave him out three games on the bounce something really is obviously going wrong or has gone wrong and it is not looking great for both Marcus’ future at the club or Manchester United keeping him either.

“I suspect it is getting to that point in the journey where it has got an inevitable ending.”

Amorim said earlier last week his team is “better with Marcus Rashford,” but he also stated he has set high standards for players in terms of things like conduct during training and with teammates. AFP, REUTERS