Joshua King crowns Cherries victory against former club Man Utd
Published:
Holly Thackeray | December 12, 2015
Bournemouth 2-1 Manchester United
- Junior Stanislas gave Bournemouth early lead
- Marouane Fellaini found a first-half equaliser
- Ex-Man Utd marksman Joshua King sank his old club with second-half winner
- Red Devils now three points off Premier League summit
Underdogs Bournemouth bag second big scalp in a row
Brave Bournemouth continued to climb away from the Premier League relegation scrap with victory against injury-plagued Manchester United.
The Red Devils were forced to field two players, in young full backs Guillermo Varela and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, without a full Premier League match under their belts, but that was still no excuse for the poor set-piece defending on show on the south coast.
Impressive play from the plucky hosts saw the Cherries capture their second successive scalp against top sides, after giving Chelsea the blues last matchweek. Now, out of the Champions League and having slipped three points behind in the title race, the Red Devils must rally as Norwich City await next.
Gone with the wind
The tenacious Cherries could not have asked for brighter start to such a dark evening on the south coast, repelling any ideas of Man Utd simply picking them off with a slightly fluky first goal.
It took only two minutes for the scoring to get underway at a crammed Dean Court, as Junior Stanislas’ deliciously curling in-swinging corner caused all kinds of havoc. Bournemouth (15/8 with Coral to next beat West Bromwich Albion) also benefited from a gust of wind which deceived David De Gea and saw the winger’s attempt nestle in the top corner, though the lead was all due to the dangerous delivery.
Going behind so quickly certainly elicited a response from the Red Devils, with Artur Boruc forced to into a brilliant double save to first deny Marouane Fellaini and then the follow-up from adventurous defender Paddy McNair.
Excellent Anthony Martial perhaps had the best chance to unlock the Cherries, though, as the Frenchman pounced on a poor Stanislas pass and charged at Boruc’s goal with intent. Though, under pressure, the poacher’s chance trickled wide.
Carrick class unleashes Red Devils
Midfield conductor Michael Carrick was key as United finally found an equaliser in an enthralling but sometimes scrappy first 45, as a characteristic cross-field raking pass was pinged with pinpoint accuracy to a dogged Memphis Depay in the 24th minute.
The Dutchman brought the ball down but fired directly at Boruc, though the rebound fortunately fell to a tumbling Fellaini’s feet and the Belgian somehow managed to bundle the ball into the net.
Martial’s menace then threatened to put the Mancunian’s ahead as the forward tussled admirably, riding several tackles on the edge of the area before finally being dispossessed at the very last moment, with battling and daring Bournemouth subsequently and deservedly seeing out the first-half on even terms.
King of Dean Court haunts former club
Bournemouth came out after the break with bite and bang, as Steve Cook burst forward to put the visitors on the back foot, and the defender’s rampaging run drizzled out for a corner.
So, it was a set-piece which again proved Man Utd’s undoing, after Old Trafford-linked Matt Ritchie drilled a low cross into the box to catch the Red Devils’ inexperienced rearguard out. Former United forward Josh King was the one to capitalise after fluffing an earlier opportunity, though this time the striker made no mistake with his cool finish to put the Cherries 2-1 up.
King missed the chance to crown his display with a second, after Adam Smith blasted a ball into United’s barren box unchallenged, with the Red Devils down to their bare bones following an earlier injury to Jesse Lingard, which saw the Englishman replaced by Andreas Pereira.
Murray misses let United off hook
Eddie Howe’s hosts came agonisingly within inches of a third, finding acres of space as Daley Blind wandered towards the ball leaving substitute Glenn Murray free to run at De Gea’s goal, with only his poor finishing seeing the chance wasted.
Murray then proved the guests had learnt little from their earlier set-piece problems, as yet another corner was allowed to sail through the area. Though the striker made a meal of it and blazed over the bar again, to deliver the injury-ridden Red Devils a reprieve.
A few Martial-crafted half-chances aside, however, Louis van Gaal’s guys made little of the remaining minutes and must now return to Manchester to lick their wounds after a testing week, and must surely have an eye on the transfer window. While, Bournemouth finally look to be enjoying themselves in the English top-flight as they edge away from the danger zone.
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