Epic eight-goal thriller & mutual goal exchange: Manchester United 4-4 Bournemouth; Bruno Fernandes with assist and goal; Mbome misses multiple chances; referee controversies

At 4 a.m. Beijing time on December 16, the last game of Premier League round 16 saw Manchester United face Bournemouth at home. A victory for the Red Devils over the Cherries at the Theatre of Dreams would have elevated them to fifth place (Champions League qualification spot).

In the first half, Tyler Adams left due to injury, Amad broke the deadlock, Semenyo equalized, Casemiro scored to put Manchester United ahead again, with the score 2-1 at halftime; Evanilson and Tavernier scored consecutively to overturn the score, Bruno Fernandes scored directly from a free kick to equalize, Cunha scored to give City the lead for the third time, then Crupi leveled again, and in the final moments, Manchester United’s goalkeeper Lamens made crucial saves.

In the end, Manchester United drew 4-4 with Bournemouth, accumulating 26 points and ranking sixth, while Bournemouth had 21 points, placing thirteenth.

Manchester United vs Bournemouth,Amorim set up a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Cunha upfront, supported by Mbome and Mount behind; Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Dalot formed the midfield four; Joro, Haven, and Luke Shaw made up the three defenders, with Lamens in goal. The starting lineup’s total market value was 403 million euros.Ilaura deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a starting lineup valued at 306 million euros.

This match turned into a goal-fest with both sides attacking freely. Manchester United had a slight edge in possession and more shooting opportunities, but the main reason they couldn’t win was new signing Mbome’s wastefulness, missing several clear chances, forcing teammates to run excessively and draining energy — an unfortunate factor for United. Additionally, Bournemouth had multiple suspected handball incidents that went uncalled, sparking major controversy. However, United was also fortunate; without Lamens’ multiple late saves, they would have lost 4-6 at home. Ultimately, the 4-4 draw with the Cherries, who have now gone six matches unbeaten against United at Old Trafford, highlights Manchester United’s own strength issues. It seems their quest for a top-five Premier League finish (Champions League spot) this season will be tough, as the squad lacks an efficient striker, making Bruno Fernandes still United’s key asset.

Throughout the entire match,Manchester United held 56% possession and took 25 shots, 11 more than Bournemouth, but both teams had 9 shots on targetwhich illustrates Manchester United’s attackers’ lack of finishing precision.