Bournemouth secured a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford on Saturday, pushing Manchester United into a deeper crisis and leaving manager Michael Carrick on the brink of losing his job. The defeat extended United's winless run to eight matches across all competitions.
Goals from Rayan, Marcus Tavernier, and Evanilson sealed Bournemouth's third 3-0 win at Old Trafford in four years. The hosts were two goals down by half-time, with Rayan opening the scoring in the 37th minute from a free-kick before Tavernier doubled the lead shortly after.
United's struggles continue without Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes was dropped to the bench following comments made during the week, but his absence made little difference to United's performance. The team showed no fightback in the second half, and Evanilson capped the afternoon with a third goal 20 minutes from time, rounding goalkeeper Senne Lammens before finishing from a wide angle.
Carrick, who has now gone eight games without a win, watched his side fall behind yet again. Bournemouth fans chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" as United's struggles deepened.
Defensive errors prove costly
Rayan's opening goal came from a free-kick awarded after a poor two-footed challenge by Ayden Heaven, who escaped a red card. VAR checked the incident but concluded Heaven made no contact with Evanilson, so he stayed on the pitch. Tavernier's goal followed a defensive slip by Leny Yoro, allowing Adrien Truffert to square the ball for an easy finish.
Matheus Cunha was introduced at half-time in place of Fernandes, but Bournemouth nearly went 3-0 up within 30 seconds of the restart, only for the offside flag to intervene. Evanilson's 70th-minute strike came after he curled home from distance, and by the dying stages, large sections of Old Trafford had emptied.
United's recent form has mirrored Fernandes's own dip, with the team having risen to third under Carrick last season. This result leaves them one point off third from bottom, with Carrick's bold decision to drop his captain doing nothing to change his fortunes.
