Manchester United vs Bournemouth: Match preview, what to expect, key players | OneFootball

Manchester United take on Bournemouth at Old Trafford this afternoon.

They returned to winning ways in the Premier League last weekend, beating Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

They could not take the momentum to the Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, losing 4-3 to exit the tournament.

Bournemouth have not been in action since last weekend and will be fresher than United heading into the fixture.

Everton held them to a 1-1 draw in their last league game, ending their three-match winning streak.

Match Preview

Man United have lost once at home against the Cherries but do not have an excellent record on their own patch in the Premier League this season.

They have won just four home games and were beaten by Nottingham Forest in their last outing at Old Trafford.

United will be aiming to avoid a repeat and build on the triumph they recorded at the Etihad last weekend.

Bournemouth have been superb this season. They have collected 25 points, three more than United have accrued.

They won for the first time at Old Trafford last season before holding United to a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at the Vitality Stadium.

They have been in decent form on the road this term, winning three games, two of which have been in their last two outings.

What to expect

Manager Andoni Iraola has been able to transform Bournemouth, making them one of the most exciting teams in the league.

They have been creating plenty of goalscoring opportunities. Only Chelsea have more expected goals, although they need to be more clinical as they rank eighth for goals scored.

The Cherries recorded a victory at Old Trafford in their last visit, indicating that this could prove a tough fixture for Man United.

United did not play well for most of the game against Man City and performed similarly at Tottenham on Thursday.

The Red Devils should be ready for the challenge, knowing they cannot afford to drop points. They sit in the bottom half of the table and are nine points off the last Champions League spot.

Key Players

Man United

Amad Diallo: The Ivorian is United’s most in-form player. He has only failed to register a goal involvement once in the league since Ruben Amorim was appointed manager.

Bruno Fernandes: The captain was unimpressive against Man City, missing United’s most clear-cut opportunity in the game. He must take advantage of Bournemouth’s defensive frailties.

Bournemouth

Lewis Cook: The midfielder has the most passes per game for Bournemouth. He has bagged three assists, created four big chances and ranks second for the most key passes.

Milos Kerkez: The young left-back has been one of the standout players for the Cherries. He has tallied two assists, created four big chances, and is averaging the fifth-highest key passes per game.

Stats from sofascore.com and 11v11.com.