Manchester United break unwanted 35-year record after Bournemouth collapse sees them hit new low

12/22/2024 11:57 AM

Manchester United will spend Christmas Day in the bottom half of the Premier League.

It’s the first time since 1989 that the Red Devils have been outside of the top half, earning them a rather unwanted 35-year record.

It comes after Ruben Amorim’s side suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.

Dean Huijsen’s header gave Bournemouth the lead with a goal that was the 17th goal that Man United have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League in 2024.

That is the most goals that the Red Devils have ever conceded in a single calendar year since the Premier League began 32 years ago.

A Justin Kluivert penalty and an Antoine Semenyo goal made it 3-0 to the Cherries.

Only Southampton (5) have conceded three or more goals in a Premier League home game more times than Manchester United (4) this season.

Reflecting on the defeat, Amorim struggled to hide his disappointment, saying: “It’s hard to push for two, three wins and we are trying. This game was hard on us.

“We suffered again on set-pieces and we were a bit nervous, I felt it in the stadium. The penalty and another goal are really hard here. We tried to score some goals but it was a tough match so let’s move on.

“If you look at the game, we were not conceding anything before the first goal, we had opportunities. If we manage to score the first goal then the game should be different. We want to score but we are too nervous. We have to fight this.

“After the penalty, we need to control the game better because we know this situation is really hard. We have to control better this moment.

“We have to focus on the job and not what you feel in the stadium. It’s the only way I know how to focus my players. We have to suffer again but we will try to win. We will do it until the end.”

Reacting to the performance, Micky Gray told talkSPORT: “Manchester United‘s defending has been awful today.

“I’m looking for an improvement under Ruben Amorim over the last couple of games. I’m yet to see it.

“They’ve all been really poor. I can’t pick out a Manchester United player who has really impressed me today. They’ve been really scrappy in possession, and it’s all that Bournemouth deserve.

“I think Ruben Amorim has got a heck of a job on his hands here, not just in January, but the summer after that, getting players out and bringing players in."

Man United are next in action on Boxing Day when they travel to face Wolves at Molineux.