Manchester United will look to extend their lead in the Premier League table when they host Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
The Red Devils moved into fourth place with a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, while Bournemouth are coming off a 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace. Man United won their third straight Premier League game, and their fifth in a row overall, with a 1-0 win over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday, with Marcus Rashford scoring the only goal of the game against Julen Lopetegui’s side.
The Red Devils have now won four of their last five league games, and have only lost once since the Manchester derby at the start of October, propelling them into fourth place in the table, just two points behind third-placed Newcastle United, who have played one more game.
Man United are now only four points behind second-placed Manchester City after the same number of games (16), while Tottenham Hotspur’s home defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday means that a win on Tuesday night would put them five points ahead of Antonio Conte’s team.
There is no denying that the club had a poor start to the season, losing their first two league games to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, but they have since won 10, drawn two, and lost two of their 14 games, and there have been significant positives under Erik ten Hag’s management. Man United are preparing for four home games in a row, facing Everton in the FA Cup, Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup, and Man City in the league following the match against Bournemouth.
Ten Hag’s side will also travel to Arsenal on January 22nd, while February will bring both legs of their Europa League tie. Bournemouth, meanwhile, come into this game off a 2-0 home loss to Palace on New Year’s Eve, with Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze scoring for the visitors. The Cherries are currently 15th in the Premier League table, with 16 points from their first 17 games, thanks to four wins, four draws, and nine defeats.
Bournemouth have the league’s worst defensive record this season, conceding 36 times, which will be a concern ahead of a trip to an in-form Manchester United on Tuesday night.
Gary O’Neil was appointed as interim manager before being appointed permanently at the end of November, and the job will be a huge challenge for him. Bournemouth were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2019-20 season after five seasons in the top flight, but they finished second in the Championship last season to ensure an immediate return.
The Red and Blacks were defeated 5-2 when they last visited Old Trafford in July 2020, and they have never won away to the Red Devils in their history, with all three of their previous victories coming in front of their own fans.
Team News
Lisandro Martinez could return to the starting lineup for Manchester United in this match, as the centre-back will have had nearly a week of training following his return from the World Cup.
Luke Shaw has played well as a centre-back in the team’s last two games, but he could be moved to left-back for this game, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka could keep his spot at right-back if Diogo Dalot is ruled out again due to a hamstring injury suffered at the World Cup.
Marcus Rashford has revealed he was left out of Erik ten Hag's Manchester United starting line-up against Wolves after oversleeping and arriving late to a team meeting! ⏰❌ pic.twitter.com/qNOEKVri7L
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 31, 2022
Rashford was dropped from the starting lineup against Wolves due to being late for a team meeting, but the attacker should return, while Antony and Anthony Martial should keep their places in the final third.
Bournemouth’s Philip Billing is a major doubt for the match after being withdrawn in the first half of their defeat to Palace due to a hip problem.
David Brooks and Neto will also be unavailable for selection, while Ryan Fredericks, Junior Stanislas, and Marcus Tavernier are likely to be too tired. Siriki Dembele is expected to replace Billing in central midfield, but the rest of the lineup could be the same as the one that faced Palace, with Kieffer Moore and Dominic Solanke operating as the front two.
Prediction
Bournemouth have the Premier League’s third-worst home record this season, and they will face a Manchester United side that has picked up 16 points from seven league games at Old Trafford in 2022-23. There are always surprises at this stage of the season, but we find it difficult to predict an upset here, instead backing Manchester United to continue their strong form with a two-goal victory.
Manchester United 2-0 Bournemouth
