Assessing the winning ability of Bournemouth and MU: Red Devils' sadness
Bournemouth has a great chance to cause more sadness to MU, a team that is in a serious crisis in both form and strength.
The match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at 8:00 p.m. on April 27 in the Premier League is not only a confrontation between two teams in the bottom half of the rankings, but also a test of confidence for Amorim's army, who are losing their identity after a series of bad matches.
United go into this game with a seriously depleted squad. Diogo Dalot becomes the latest name to join an already long injury list that includes Joshua Zirkzee, Lisandro Martinez, Toby Collyer, Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Amad Diallo. Although Diallo could return to training next week, the lack of personnel has forced Amorim to put his faith in young names like Harry Amass or Leny Yoro. With the defense constantly patched up, the belief in a solid performance from United is extremely fragile.
In attack, United have fared no better. After an emotional Europa League win, the Red Devils were utterly disappointed when they lost to Wolves at Old Trafford, extending their winless run in the Premier League to four. Having lost 15 games this season – their worst run since 1989-90 – only underscores the fact that United currently lack both the character and depth to compete seriously.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, have not been at their best – winning just one of their last seven games – but they have been remarkably consistent. Last weekend’s draw with Crystal Palace gave them a record 49 points in a Premier League season. In addition, Bournemouth are on the verge of keeping three consecutive clean sheets for the first time in nearly five years, and history is on their side: the last time they did so, they beat Manchester United 1-0.
Notably, in the first leg this season, Bournemouth crushed MU 3-0 right at the Theatre of Dreams. With a tired MU and having to save energy for the Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, coach Iraola's team can fully expect to repeat the feat.
Looking at the current situation, confidence in MU is very low. International websites such as Sportsmole and WhoScore both predict a victory for Bournemouth. Specifically, Sportsmole is leaning towards a 1-0 score, while WhoScore even believes in a 2-0 victory for the home team.
A win for Bournemouth would not only be a fatal blow to United's fragile top-seven ambitions, but would also confirm the maturity of the Vitality Stadium team - who are now ready to step onto the continental stage if the opportunity arises.