CHERRIES’ wretched record at Old Trafford continued, as they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Manchester United.
Gary O’Neil’s men did show some signs of life during the second half, but goals from Casemiro and Luke Shaw had already done the damage.
Philip Billing and Jaidon Anthony came close to pulling a goal back, before Marcus Rashford wrapped up the win late on.
In 10 visits to the home of the Lancashire giants, Cherries have now been beaten on nine occasions, drawing the other.
O’Neil made two changes to his starting XI from the side which delivered what he described as the worst performance of his tenure in defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Chris Mepham and Ryan Christie were recalled, with Jordan Zemura and Kieffer Moore dropping to the bench.
Erik ten Hag shuffled his pack, with starts for the likes of Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Donny van de Beek.
Cherries started the contest with a back four, Lloyd Kelly operating from left-back on his 100th appearance for the club.
United dominated possession in the early stages, with Cherries holding firm in defence. But sloppiness in possession allowed the hosts their first sight of goal, Anthony Martial heading wide from a Christian Eriksen cross on 11 minutes.
And with ten Hag’s men camped in Cherries’ half, it came as little surprise to see the deadlock broken on 23 minutes, in all too familiar fashion. Eriksen delivered a perfectly weighted free-kick from the left for Casemiro, the Brazilian running off Dominic Solanke and volleying high past Mark Travers. It marked a 13th goal conceded from a set piece by Cherries this season, a league high, and on the back of two in defeat to Palace on Saturday.
Billing looked to respond at the other end, his free-kick flicking off the wall and behind for a corner, which Solanke headed over.
Vital defensive interventions from Lewis Cook and Kelly kept United at bay, as the hosts went in at the break one goal ahead.
United were forced into a change on the stroke of half-time, Garnacho replacing the injured van de Beek. And the Argentina under-20 international made a lively start to the second half, hacked down by Adam Smith, who collected his fifth booking of the season. He will now be suspended for the trip to Brentford.
Garnacho then got an assist to his name just minutes later. Shaw drove forwards from left-back, before finding Bruno Fernandes, who in turn picked out Garnacho on the right. His low cross was met by defender Shaw in the centre of the box, who tucked home to double the lead.
Looking to turn the screw, Martial headed wide, before Cherries worked David de Gea for the first time.
Smith’s cross into the centre was met by the head of Billing, but the keeper parried away. Cherries kept the attack alive, Solanke also denied by the Spaniard. De Gea then produced an even better save moments later, tipping away Anthony’s effort in the box with his fingertips.
Travers was the busier keeper in the closing stages, denying efforts from Garnacho and Fernandes, before Fernandes picked out Rashford to tap home four minutes from time.
Cherries: Travers; Smith (Stacey, 63), Mepham, Senesi, Kelly; Cook, Lerma (Rothwell, 84); Christie (Dembele, 76), Billing (Moore, 76), Anthony; Solanke.
Unused subs: Stephens, Zemura, Pearson, Lowe, Plain (g/k).
Booked: Billing, Smith, Stacey.
Man Utd: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka (Dalot, 69), Maguire, Lindelof (Martinez, 88), Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred, 68); Fernandes, van de Beek (Garnacho, 45+2), Rashford; Martial (Elanga, 69).
Unused subs: Varane, Malacia, McTominay, Heaton (g/k).
Booked: None.
Referee: Michael Salisbury.
VAR: Craig Pawson.
Attendance: 73,322.
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