Manchester United endured a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, while Chelsea missed the chance to move top of the Premier League following a goalless draw at Everton.
United manager Ruben Amorim, who again left Marcus Rashford out of his squad, faces a tough Christmas after suffering the worst result of his brief tenure.
Sitting in 13th place, United have now lost four of their last nine matches across all competitions since Amorim’s arrival from Sporting Lisbon in November, replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag.
This was United’s second consecutive defeat, following their League Cup exit at Tottenham on Thursday, further highlighting Amorim’s admission that their journey back to the top will be long and difficult.
Having conceded first in their last six games, United were booed off the pitch at half-time, with jeers continuing after the final whistle from the few fans who remained until the bitter end.
While it’s still early in his tenure, Amorim can ill afford more results like this if he hopes to maintain the support of players and fans alike. His decision to leave Rashford out for the third consecutive match will come under fresh scrutiny, especially after United’s poor performance.
The 27-year-old England forward had already expressed frustration after being dropped for the 1-0 win over Manchester City last weekend, hinting at a desire for a “new challenge.” On Sunday, Rashford was seen at Old Trafford in a United tracksuit while Amorim made six changes to the side beaten 4-3 by Tottenham in the League Cup quarter-finals.
United’s defensive frailties were exposed again in the 29th minute when Bournemouth’s teenage defender Dean Huijsen took advantage of poor marking at a free-kick to glance a header past Andre Onana.
Matters worsened in the second half when Justin Kluivert doubled Bournemouth’s lead with a 61st-minute penalty after Noussair Mazraoui fouled the forward. Two minutes later, Antoine Semenyo compounded United’s misery, finishing calmly from Dango Ouattara’s pass to make it 3-0.
In contrast, Chelsea’s hopes of going top, at least temporarily, were dashed by a 0-0 draw at Everton. Enzo Maresca’s side saw their five-match Premier League winning streak come to an end but remain one point behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand, starting with Sunday’s match at Tottenham.
It was an encouraging start to a new era for Everton, who sit four points clear of the relegation zone under their new owners, the Friedkin Group, signaling the end of Farhad Moshiri’s controversial tenure. Everton’s new executive chairman, Marc Watts, watched from the stands as Chelsea came closest to scoring, with Nicolas Jackson’s header in the first half hitting the post.
Meanwhile, Wolves boss Vitor Pereira enjoyed a dream debut, guiding his side to a 3-0 victory over relegation rivals Leicester. Replacing the sacked Gary O’Neil, former Porto boss Pereira left Saudi Arabia’s Al-Shabab to fulfill his ambition of managing in England.
Gonçalo Guedes gave Pereira’s era a flying start with a superb finish from Nelson Semedo’s cross in the 19th minute. Rodrigo Gomes doubled the lead in the 36th minute, scoring his first goal for Wolves, while Matheus Cunha sealed the win just before halftime, finishing from Guedes’ assist.
The victory lifted Wolves to within two points of fourth-bottom Leicester, who remain in trouble. At the bottom of the table, Southampton played out a 0-0 draw at home to Fulham as new manager Ivan Jurić watched from the stands.
Jurić, dismissed by Roma in November after just 12 games, is still awaiting a work permit to officially take over from Russell Martin. Southampton, with only one win from 17 league games, remain eight points adrift of safety.
AFP
