December 23, 2024

Man Utd must make one change vs Bournemouth but it’s not Marcus Rashford if he’s fit

Bournemouth #Bournemouth

United produced one of their best performances of the season as Scott McTominay’s brace downed Mauricio Pochettino’s strugglers.

Ten Hag watched his attack in full flow as they created over 4.0 xG with solid performances throughout the side, leaving the Old Trafford crowd fully behind the Dutchman.

United moved above Newcastle United in sixth, level on 27 points with Tottenham Hotspur and just three behind fourth-placed reigning champions Manchester City in fourth.

Bournemouth visit M16 today among the Premier League’s form teams, winning four and losing just one of their last seven such games.

Andoni Iraola has the Cherries ticking, and Ten Hag will need to be wary of the pace the visitors possess in attack, particularly.

Luis Sinisterra, Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, Marcus Tavernier and Dominic Solanke have all flaunted their top-flight credentials in recent weeks.

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United must counter the threat by repeating a half-time substitute against Chelsea on Wednesday from the get-go this weekend.

Victor Lindelof started alongside the Premier League’s Player of November, Harry Maguire, but struggled to handle the pace of Pochettino’s frontline.

The Swede was also sluggish for Cole Palmer’s late first-half equaliser, shortly before Ten Hag hauled him off for Sergio Reguilon.

The Spaniard thrived down the left, producing one of the best halves of his loan from Tottenham Hotspur, with Luke Shaw pushing into a now-familiar left-sided centre-back role.

Reguilon coming in for Lindelof should be United’s sole change against Bournemouth, with the latter ruled out through injury.

It would give Ten Hag the best chance of finding the “consistency” he has often publicly craved this season.

It would mean Rashford, if he’s fit anyway as he’s a doubt through illness, faces a second successive game watching on from the bench amid Alejandro Garnacho’s best run of form since becoming a permanent member of the first team.

Garnacho was electric again midweek and produced a wonderful cross for McTominay’s second-half winner.

Antony’s performances have also improved in recent weeks, and his energetic display against Chelsea deserves to be rewarded with another start on the right.

Rashford could start centrally in place of Rasmus Hojlund, but Ten Hag is likely just as keen as the United fanbase to see the £72million 20-year-old break his Premier League duck.

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