AFC Bournemouth vs Manchester United
Date: 03/11/2018
K/O: 12:30
Venue: The Vitality Stadium
TV: BT Sport
Referee: Paul Tierney
Manchester United’s mini-revival faces a stern test Saturday lunchtime with a trip to the Vitality Stadium to face a Bournemouth side enjoying their best-ever start and sitting three points and two places above Jose Mourinho’s men in the table.
United have won on their last two visits to the South coast and have won four of their last five against the Cherries. Nonetheless, Eddie Howe’s side are much improved this term and although their strike force may be receiving all the plaudits, the Cherries have kept three clean sheets on the spin.
The one caveat to their fine start is that Bournemouth have only faced one of the ‘big six’ so far and in fact have only faced three teams currently in the top half of the table. Therefore, expectations need to be tempered somewhat but there’s no denying their top form.
Mourinho still has a long way to go to silence his seemingly omnipresent critics with recent performances still coming under fire – only a commanding win here will give him some breathing space but the way Bournemouth have started makes that a much more difficult prospect than in previous years.
AFC Bournemouth : Form and Stats
Bournemouth are sixth in the league with six wins in their opening ten and Eddie Howe has always been one to stick to his principles and approach to the game even when the going gets tough – and in 2018/19, this steadfast belief in his ideas has reaped rewards. The Englishman has made the Cherries an attacking side that is always good to watch with Callum Wilson and Josh King putting in match winning performances week in week out.
They are unbeaten in their last six home league games (W4, D2), with coincidently their last loss the 2-0 defeat by Manchester United in April.
Manchester United : Form and Stats
Manchester United find themselves in a purple patch that has, at the very least, distracted the gaze of neutrals from the ongoing Mourinho-Pogba fiasco. Wins over Newcastle and Everton, plus a draw against title hopefuls Chelsea, have elevated the Red Devils to eighth in the table.
The return to form of Anthony Martial, who has so often disappointed in a United shirt, is a massive boost to Mourinho with Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku struggling to display their talents on a regular basis. The Frenchman has scored four in his last three appearances and will be eager to add to that tally on Saturday.
Despite this, for all their good work in recent weeks Mourinho’s side have won back to back games just once this term which will motivate them come Saturday. Surprisingly, the Reds have kept just one Premier League clean sheet this season with only Fulham having a poorer record in terms of shut-outs. Mourinho will be desperate to improve this at the Vitality this weekend.
Key Men
Callum Wilson – AFC Bournemouth
Quietly ruling the roost among English marksmen is Callum Wilson who now has five goals and four assists to his name, only Brighton’s Glen Murray and Tottenham’s Harry Kane have more goals than the Bournemouth man this term and Gareth Southgate will surely be keeping an eye on him. Injuries have been unkind to him in the past but this season, it does look like Callum Wilson can hit double figures before New Year which makes him a crucial figure in that Bournemouth squad and in particular, on big occasions like these.
Anthony Martial – Manchester United
Martial FC is thriving at last – as fan favourite Anthony Martial is doing what everybody associated with Manchester United knew full well he could. The Frenchman has now netted in three consecutive Premier League games in a bid to recapture the form he was in in his debut season in England. The 22-year old now needs an uninterrupted run of games on the left and up top in order to build on the confidence he has gained in recent weeks.
AFC Bournemouth vs Manchester United – Opta stats
Bournemouth are unbeaten in six Premier League home games (W4 D2), with their last defeat at the Vitality Stadium coming against Manchester United in April (0-2).
Man Utd have won just two of their last seven away Premier League games (W2 D2 L3).
Under Jose Mourinho, Paul Pogba has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions than any other Man Utd player (20 goals, 22 assists).
In their 10 Premier League games this season, Man Utd have conceded 17 goals and kept just one clean sheet; after 10 games last term, they’d conceded just four goals and kept eight clean sheets.
Romelu Lukaku has scored six goals in his last three Premier League meetings with Bournemouth, including netting in both matches for the Red Devils last season.
Man Utd’s Anthony Martial has scored in each of his last three Premier League games (4 goals in total) – he’s never scored in four in a row in the competition.
Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson has been directly involved in nine goals in 10 Premier League games this season (5 goals, 4 assists) – just one fewer than he was in 28 games last term (8 goals, 2 assists)
Team News:
Bournemouth rested a number of key players for their Carabao Cup tie against Norwich City but Howe’s side should be back at full-strength this weekend barring the Norwegian Josh King. Former Manchester United man has been nursing a foot injury this week and is currently rated at 50 per cent to make it.
Bournemouth captain Simon Francis is a doubt. The defender is nursing a slight groin problem following the Carabao Cup win over Norwich in midweek. A scan on the injury has shown no serious damage and Howe will make a late decision on his fitness.
The visitors also report a relatively clean bill of health, with only long-term absentee Phil Jones missing from the squad. Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku are all pushing for a recall.
Antonio Valencia, Marouane Fellaini and Diogo Dalot will again be absent for United.
Predicted Starting XI’s:
AFC Bournemouth (3-4-3): Begovic; Francis, S Cook, Aké; Smith, L Cook, Lerma, Daniels; Brooks, Wilson, Fraser
Manchester Utd (4-3-3): De Gea; Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Fred, Matic, Pogba; Mata, Rashford, Martial
Score Prediction: Bournemouth 1 Manchester United 2
Bournemouth have been impressive this term, but United have taken seven points from their last three league games and some confidence may well have been restored. Bournemouth will have a right go at United who are all over the place at the back which will make for an exciting encounter.
