Manchester United welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford on Monday night with both sides looking for a timely boost in the league. United go into the fixture in the European places, while Bournemouth sit in the lower mid-table pack and are trying to halt a run without a win.
United’s last match in any competition brought a clear lift: they won 4–1 away at Wolves, with Bruno Fernandesscoring twice and Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount also on the scoresheet. That result left them on 25 point safter 15 league games, keeping them in touch with the clubs above them in a crowded top-half race.
Bournemouth’s most recent match was a 0–0 draw at home to Chelsea on 6 December. They thought they had scored early through Antoine Semenyo, but it was ruled out after a VAR check, and they were unable to find a winner. The bigger trend is that Bournemouth are now winless in six league matches, with their last three away trips ending in defeat. They start the round on 20 points.
There is also recent history that Bournemouth can lean on. The Cherries have won 3–0 on their last two Premier League visits to Old Trafford, and United are winless in their last four league meetings with Bournemouth overall (two draws, two defeats).
Team news is likely to be a talking point. Ruben Amorim and Andoni Iraola both faced the media ahead of the game, but with late checks common at this stage of the season, any final calls are expected closer to kick-off rather than being treated as guarantees days in advance.
On the pitch, United will expect to play on the front foot at home, especially after the confidence of the Wolves win. Amorim’s side have looked sharper in transition in recent weeks, with Fernandes central to the tempo and chance creation, and they will want a more controlled home performance than in some recent Old Trafford league outings.
Bournemouth under Iraola are typically at their most dangerous when they can press aggressively and break quickly into space. Even during this winless spell, they have continued to create moments through Semenyo’s direct running and Kluivert’s ability to carry the ball between the lines, and they’ll travel believing their recent Old Trafford record shows they can disrupt the script.
For United, this is a chance to turn a strong away win into a steadier run and keep pressure on the teams above them. For Bournemouth, it’s an opportunity to end a frustrating sequence and prove they can still produce their best level away from the Vitality.
With form, history and the table all adding edge, Monday night has the feel of a fixture where momentum could swing quickly.
