Spirited Bournemouth beat Manchester United 2-1 thanks to a second-half winner from Joshua King which heaps more pressure on manager Louis van Gaal as he saw his side fail once again in a game which would have put United level at the top of the Premier League.
Bournemouth took an early lead
Bournemouth, straight from kick-off, were on the front foot, and won a free kick within the first minute, but Marouane Fellaini managed to get it clear for a Bournemouth corner. The resulting corner though produced the first goal of the game for Bournemouth as Junior Stanislas scored straight from the corner kick. United were already on the back foot early on in the game.
United went up the other end though with their first attack of the game in the fifth minute, and almost hit back straight away when Fellaini had a shot from close range saved, Paddy McNair had a follow-up header well saved as well by Bournemouth keeper Arthur Boruc. It was a very fast start to the game from both sides.
After the early flurry of attacks from both sides in the first ten minutes, United started to gain more possession of the game, and were trying their best to get back into the game without having any luck, whilst Bournemouth were looking to hit United on the counter.
United should have had an equaliser in the 18th minute when an error from the Bournemouth goal scorer Stanislas passed it to Anthony Martial, but the United forward put it wide, and wasted a great chance for United.
Bournemouth had a chance to make it two at the other end in the 22nd minute when Stanislas was through one-on-one with David de Gea, but the United keeper came out and smothered it at his feet. United's makeshift defence were struggling to cope with the Bournemouth attackers.
Fellaini equalised for United midway through the first half
Fellaini equalised for United in the 25th minute. Memphis Depay had a shot saved after a beautiful long range pass from Michael Carrick picked him out, but the ball broke to Fellaini to stab it home. United needed that goal to get back into a very open game, which both sides felt they can get more goals out of.
United suffered another injury in the 30th minute when Jesse Lingard limped off injured, and was replaced by Andreas Pereira, a player who many United fans have been calling to get more game time.
United kept trying to get the second goal, but Bournemouth defended well, and one thing that seemed to be pre-planned by United manager Louis van Gaal was Carrick playing long diagonal balls to Depay to get behind the Bournemouth defence, and it was causing a lot of problems from the home team.
After the quick start to the first half, the last fifteen minutes of the half saw United having a lot of possession with Bournemouth soaking up the pressure.
The second half began very scrappily with both sides unable to get a firm control of the match with both sides giving the ball away.
Bournemouth retook the lead after a fantastic routine from a corner
Bournemouth finally created the first chance of the second half when Simon Francis decided to go on a lung-busting run into the United box which resulted in a shot well saved by De Gea out for Bournemouth corner. The resulting corner resulted in Bournemouth retaking the lead through a goal from Joshua King who stroked it past De Gea in the 54th minute, after a well-worked corner. United just didn't learn from the first goal when they also conceded from a corner.
United almost responded at the other end when Fellaini had a shot saved after a well-worked move by the team. United just couldn't get the break of the ball in the right areas for the next five minutes as they started to pile the pressure on the home side looking for a second equaliser.
Bournemouth should have had a third goal in the 71st minute when Glenn Murray was clean through, but somehow blasted the ball over De Gea's crossbar. United's defending all game was so poor which is just not acceptable for a team competing for the Premier League title.
United created very little in the second half
United finally carved out their first decent chance of the second half when Martial took on three Bournemouth defenders, but his shot went over the bar. United had all of the possession in the second half but just couldn't create enough chances which were needed.
Van Gaal will feel the pressure after another defeat
Once again United struggled to create enough chances to get the goals which is something that keeps happening under Van Gaal this season, and the players just don't seem up for the game which was very poor.
The game ended 2-1 to Bournemouth in a spirited performance from the promoted side with United producing a very ordinary performance once again under Van Gaal, which will surely lead to more questions about the manager's future at the club.