Premier League: New-look United look to make most of festive run

For anyone who follows the hirsute trials of ‘United Strand’, the social media influencer that won’t cut his hair until Manchester United win five games in a row, will know what a devastating blow Monday evening’s crazy and brilliant 4-4 draw with Bournemouth, will mean to him.

Not only did it mean that his beloved United failed to work their way into the top four but maybe more importantly, for him, it also meant that his bid for five wins reverted back to zero with the consequence that he will  now carry his ever-increasing giant curly mop into 2026. Something he probably never envisaged happening at the start.

Amorim change

So the ongoing trial for United boss Ruben Amorim and his players to get a run of victories together goes on and obviously of great concern beyond merely messing with the hair-length of an eager fan. Yet, amid the insanity at Old Trafford on Monday and beyond eight pretty good goals, was the fact that Amorim actually made a change to his rigid 3-4-3 system and for a good part of the match it looked like paying off.

The Portuguese manager tweaked his formation from kick-off. And by the middle of the second half, had gone to a 4-2-4. Now changing a formation and the tactics of a side should not be seen as a big deal, but for someone like Amorim, who holds to his formation like a religious dogma, that he was willing to alter it on the night is either a sign that he is now willing to make an adjustment in order to win or that he is under pressure in his role as boss and is doing what he’s told. Either way, it produced a very exciting game and but for some luck and the usual crippling defencive errors, that has affected them all season and beyond, they might have got the win. They certainly played well enough to deserve the win, but then again Bournemouth could make that argument too.

Certainly, United looked far more expressive against the Cherries than any other opponent so far this season. Amad Diallo 13th minute opener was added to by Casemiro, followed by a wonderful Bruno Fernandes free-kick goal and a twisting Matheus Cunha strike from inside the Bournemouth goalmouth to give what many in Old Trafford thought was the victory.

Costly errors

However, as good as the United attack was, in between those great goals, the United defence were in tangles from Bournemouth counterattacks leading to four pretty impressive goals of their own from the south coast outfit.

Luke Shaw was too easily barged out of the way, allowing Antoine Semenyo to sweep home his opener for Bournemouth. A brilliant finish from Evanilson, 38 seconds into the second half, had his side back in the game, followed by a beautiful curled free kick goal from Marcus Tavernier, which had Bournemouth in the lead for a while. And even after going behind they still didn’t give up with substitute Eli Junior Kroupi squeezing through the central defenders to make it an eight-goal treat.

The defending let a lot to be desired for sure for United. In the end only a Senne Lammens outstretched leg saved them from conceding a 101-minute winner off of David Brooks, set up by Semenyo again. But there was no denying that for the first half hour of the game, United were at their swaggering best, not seen at the venerable ground in many a long year. Now the concession of goals obviously knocked the confidence back a bit but recent United sides would have lost this match. That they kept going and refused to drop the head is a notable improvement. And it’s been a long while since United offered such entertainment.

Promising signs

Of the two sides, United were the least happy at the final whistle. They were at home, in control for long periods of the game and scored four goals to lead on 84 minutes and yet were unable to see the game home. That they were not happy was also a good sign too. A year or so ago they would have been happy with how it turned out.

United’s Christmas run is unusual this year. They continue to play out of sequence to the rest of the league, again with tomorrow’s potential top four contest against the rampant Aston Villa. Which is followed by the only ‘Boxing Day’ contest against Newcastle on Friday.

Should Amorim get his tactics right and United’s defence sort out their feet, then this could be a fruitful and exciting Christmas for the Old Trafford outfit. Maybe even giving that lad with a planet-sized barnet some hope of visiting the barbers too.