A promise of goals as Bournemouth entertain Manchester United

Bournemouth host Manchester United in the lunchtime kick off this Saturday, knowing a win will further strengthen their European ambitions and severely damaging any slither of title hopes United still have.

Manchester United have struggled on the south coast in recent times, losing to Brighton in each of the last two visits to the Amex, but managed to dispatch Eddie Howe’s side in both fixtures last season.

There is a very different feel for both sides this time around though, with the home side looking like ‘the best of the rest’ flying at the top end of the table. Confidence is high and the Cherries are playing some of the most attractive football in the league whilst doing so.

On the other hand, it is gloom and doom at Manchester United, with results and performances erratic, and relationships breaking down between staff and management on a weekly basis. Rumours of both Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba leaving the club are causing distress amongst the fanbase, and the turgid football is further fracturing the belief the club can challenge for major honours this season.

Bournemouth are unbeaten at home and will hope to continue making the Vitality stadium a fortress.

This impressive home form has been largely down to their ability to score goals, scoring twice in four of their last five games at home, and have gone into the break ahead in each of the six home wins across all competitions this season.

Manchester United may well play into Bournemouth hands, with 80% of their games this season producing more than two goals a game, while they have conceded a huge 17 goals in 10 games so far this season.

If Bournemouth are to get anything from this game, they will be looking at the partnership of Callum Wilson and Josh King upfront to put the unstable Manchester United defence under pressure, hoping to capitalise on the turbulent form of Chris Smalling and David De Gea.

Mourinho will need to decide if he is going to recall striker Belgium Romelu Lukaku to the starting line-up. He has come under fire for his form recently. The World Cup semi-finalist was left to come off the bench in the recent 2-1 win over Everton but failed to have a positive impact on the game. Marcus Rashford may lead the line again this weekend, hoping to grasp the chance to give Mourinho further selection headaches in weeks to come.

History in this fixture favours the visitors.

Manchester United have emerged victorious in four of the last six meetings between these sides, with Bournemouth last beating the 20 time league winners in 2015, their first ever Premier League season.

Prediction – Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester United

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