Just as they did twelve months ago, Manchester United lost 3-0 to Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
An abject display from Ruben Amorim’s men gift-wrapped three goals and three points to the Cherries.
In the final Premier League clash before Christmas, the Red Devils paid the price for wasteful finishing and all-too-familiar defensive lapses.
The visitors opened the scoring from a set piece after half an hour before a Justin Kluivert penalty and an Antoine Semenyo finish extended their lead.
Unfortunately, for the first time in Premier League history, the 20-time champions will spend Christmas in the bottom half of the table.
With much to reflect upon, here are five talking points.
Set piece woes continue for Manchester United
Bournemouth struck first via a set-piece headed home by Dean Huijsen, and this type of goal has become a worrying trend for the home side.
Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Spurs have all scored from free-kicks or corners in recent weeks, with nine conceded this term overall from dead-ball situations.
It’s certainly a critical issue.
Amorim and his staff – namely Carlos Fernandes (set-piece coach) – are anxious to fix it as soon as possible. However, these issues don’t show any immediate signs of going away.
United target Milos Kerkez impresses at Old Trafford
It’s well-documented that the Manchester side wants to sign a new left-back/wing-back in 2025, and they got a close-up look at a potential target for that position on Sunday.
United have previously been linked with Milos Kerkez, and the 21-year-old started the game in his favoured left-back role, where he performed admirably.
The Hungary international was impressive at Old Trafford and showed plenty of qualities that would have caught the eye of United’s head coach.
With Tyrell Malacia struggling on the left-hand side and Luke Shaw routinely injured – Kerkez would certainly be a welcome upgrade in that department.
It will take time and patience to get things right
As frustrating as it was to lose so comprehensively to Bournemouth again, it was never going to be a linear process for Amorim, and he will be under no illusions now as to the scale of the task at hand.
It will take time and several transfer windows before we can truly see a side in his image.
Supporters need to be patient and try to see the bigger picture here. Results will be sporadic, but hopefully, there can be a worthwhile end goal at the end of it.
Bournemouth far more clinical than their hosts
It was a lesson in taking your chances, as the Reds discovered on Sunday.
Andoni Iraola’s side was just far more clinical in grasping their opportunities and, ultimately, this was the difference between the two teams on the day.
Given the talent at his disposal, Amorim will rightfully want much more from his troops as we prepare for a congested schedule heading out of the Christmas period.
Marcus Rashford likely to leave the club in January
For the third game running, there was no place in the matchday squad for Marcus Rashford, with the England international missing out once again for the festive clash against Bournemouth.
Despite United sighting illness as a reason for his absence, it feels increasingly likely that the Wythenshawe native will depart his boyhood club during the forthcoming January transfer window.
The 27-year-old forward recently declared his desire to pursue a new challenge.
Whether Rashford leaves either on loan or on a permanent transfer, an exit from M16 is looking more and more inevitable by the week.
What did you make of Manchester United in defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend, and do you see this side bouncing back?
Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
Merry Christmas!
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