After losing to the bottom-placed WBA in the last round, Manchester United need to come right back with a good performance against Bournemouth this Wednesday. It’s not just in order to salvage their reputation, but also because the Red Devils need points in order to stay at the 2nd place on the Premier League table. If you’d like to put a couple of bets on this game, make sure to check out this Bournemouth vs. Manchester United match preview!
Bournemouth
Although they haven’t been playing great in the last couple of weeks, Bournemouth have nothing to worry about. They’ve already achieved their pre-season goal, which was to finish in the middle of the table. With 38 points and four rounds left to go, they’re at a safe distance from the relegation zone.
Unfortunately for them, they’re too far away from the spots that lead to Europe, but it doesn’t mean that they will have no motivation for the remainder of the season. They will probably give their best in order to win enough points to finish the campaign in the top half of the table. The good news is that after the game with Man United, they don’t have a too tough schedule.
Obviously, they’re the underdogs in the clash with the Red Devils, but there’s one thing that gives them a lot of hope – their amazing home form. So far in 2018, they’ve lost only one league game at the Vitality Stadium, winning three and drawing two. One of the games they won was the one against Arsenal in mid-January.
Actually, Bournemouth seem to play very well when facing a tougher opponent. They even put a good show in the game with Manchester the last time these two met. The score was 1:0 Man United at the Old Trafford, but Bournemouth had more goal attempts than the Red Devils. Who knows, maybe at home, they will be able to make those chances count.
Manchester United
The lost to WBA meant that the title race is officially over – the other team from Manchester has become the new Premier League champion. Still, this doesn’t mean that Man United don’t have anything else left to fight for. They’re currently at the 2nd place, but two other teams are dangerously close – Liverpool and Tottenham. A few other slips and Manchester United could lose the current position.
Obviously, there’s another reason why beating Bournemouth is imperative for Jose Mourinho’s team. They need to justify their high salaries! They’ve already failed to do anything in the Champions League and if they don’t finish ass the runner-ups, Mourinho might get fired. A similar fate can happen too many of their key players, as well. This is why I’m sure they won’t lack motivation in the duel with Bournemouth.
Still, this doesn’t mean that Mourinho won’t give some of his key men some rest. This team plays the semifinal of the FA Cup on weekend, so resting a couple of players seems like a wise decision. Furthermore, a squad rotation might be exactly what this team needs to get back on the winning track.
Team News
Bournemouth absentees:
- Junior Stanislas (injury)
- Adam Smith (injury)
- Tyrone Mings (injury)
Manchester United absentees:
- Sergio Romero (injury)
Possible Lineups
Bournemouth:
Begovic – Cook, Ake, Francis, Fraser, Daniels – Gosling, Surman, Ibe, King – Defoe
Manchester United:
De Gea – Bailly, Smalling, Valencia, Young – Pogba, McTominay, Mata, Lingard – Martial, Lukaku
Bournemouth vs. Manchester United Match Prediction
Manchester United look destined to win this game. Not only do they have the quality needed to beat Bournemouth comfortably, but they also now have a big motivation due to the failure in the previous round.
Bournemouth vs. Manchester United Betting Tips
- Manchester United @1.75 (bet365)
