Key events
Both managers have gone for a fluid front four. It’s going to be interesting to see how the defences cope, though both sides have been defending well since they allowed each other to score four times in one evening.
Over the past nine league games – since Semenyo left the south coast and Carrick returned to Carrington – Bournemouth’s back four has been the most parsimonious in the Premier League, conceding only six goals. United have conceded nine in that time, one more than Arsenal and Brighton. You have to hand it to Bournemouth’s back four for coping without Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez.
And you have to hand it to Harry Maguire for playing so well that he has won a recall to the England squad at the grand old age of 33. He is also expected to be offered a new contract by United. Their current back four, with Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez injured, has pace on the right (Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot) and wisdom on the left (Maguire and Luke Shaw). It will be no surprise if Iraola puts his pacey forwards on the right to test the old stagers.
“Greetings from Canada,” says David Gayton. “Almost fun fact: Cunha was born the day after United clenched the treble. May 26, 1999.”
That is a fun fact. Though it may also make a few people feel older than they did a minute ago.
The first email has landed. “Free buses?!” splutters Peter Oh. “No free WiFi though, am I right?”
Wish I could tell you. Maybe someone at the ground will see this and let us know.
The free buses, by the way, are expected to pull into Manchester at 4am. So there will be a price to pay.
Teams in full
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1) Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Christie; Tavernier, Rayan, Adli; Evanilson.
Subs: Mandas, Smith, Milosavljevic, Diakite, Toth, Gannon-Doak, Brooks, Kroupi, Unal.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1-ish) Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; I’m sorry.
Subs: Bayindir, Fredericson, Heaven, Malacia, Ugarte, T Fletcher, Mount, Zirkzee, Sesko.
Teams in brief: two changes for Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola makes two changes to the XI that drew 0-0 at Turf Moor. Alex Jimenez replaces Adam Smith at right-back, while Amine Adli comes in for Junior Kroupi in the front four. It looks as if Adli will be on the left with Rayan slipping into Kroupi’s shoes as the no 10.
Teams in brief: United unchanged
Michael Carrick does like to keep things simple. He sticks with the starting XI that served him well against Villa, so Benjamin Sesko is on the bench again.
Preamble
Evening everyone and welcome to what could be a rip-roaring occasion. When Manchester United and Bournemouth last faced each other, in December, they ended up scoring four goals apiece.
Now they meet again on a Friday night on the south coast. This may suit the fan on the sofa a lot better than the travelling supporter, but United have softened the blow by laying on free buses for the return trip from Manchester. Hats off to the member of staff who managed to get that idea past Jim Ratcliffe.
Bournemouth’s first goal in the 4-4 feast was dished up by Antoine Semenyo. They have a peculiar record since letting him go in January: no defeats in nine Premier League games (while everybody else has lost at least once), but only three wins. They have been drawing matches and, increasingly, drawing blanks. Their last four results have been 0-0 at West Ham, 1-1 at home to Sunderland, 0-0 at home to Brentford and 0-0 at Burnley. Their flying forward line, which includes two teenagers in Junior Kroupi and Rayan, is surely too good to let that continue.
Andoni Iraola has some great memories to call upon against United, including two 3-0 thrashings at Old Trafford. And although Michael Carrick has done a masterly job since replacing Ruben Amorim (P9 W7 D1 L1, top of the table in that time), this is just the kind of fixture that has tested him – on the road, in the evening, against supposedly lesser opposition. His team lost at Newcastle, drew at West Ham and won narrowly at Everton, and those are the only games on his watch in which they’ve failed to score twice.
When United drew at the Vitality Stadium last spring, there was little to play for as they were 15th and their hosts were 10th. Bournemouth are 10th again now, but a win will lift them to eighth, which could be enough for European football next season. A win for United, who are now within seven points of Man City, will keep them on course for the Champions League and allow them to play grandmother’s footsteps with their noisy neighbours.
Whatever the result, both sides will have rather too much time to dwell on it. After tonight they don’t play again for three weeks – Bournemouth return to action on 11 April, United two days later. After binning the midwinter break, the Premier League is having one just as spring is here. Ours not to reason why.
