'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQf/2gAIAQEAAAAAPnP/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAECEAAAAD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAE//xAAgEAABAwQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAQIDAAURQQYTMnKx/9oACAEBAAE/ALVxY+/itnALEa1RFd1kQ+GH6VPtIemoYsetf//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAv/aAAgBAgEBPwCEf//EABgRAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQQS/9oACAEDAQE/ALE6RD//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jose Mourinho's Manchester United got back to winning ways against Bournemouth under the lights at Old Trafford, courtesy of a goal from Romelu Lukaku. Despite the result, Eddie Howe will be proud of his side's performance and will urge his players to take inspiration from the same for the upcoming fixtures.
The Red Devils took the lead in the game against the run of play in the 25th minute when Lukaku headed home following a delightful ball from Juan Mata. However, it was the Cherries who dominated the game and managed to give United a real run for their money to secure all three points.
The win took United's points tally to 38 for the season, 11 points behind arch-rivals Manchester City and 3 ahead of Chelsea who are in close pursuit of second place.
Trending
AFC Bournemouth
Asmir Begovic - 6/10
There was nothing much he could do about the goal he conceded in the first half and he was largely untroubled throughout the course of the game.
Adam Smith - 5/10
Smith struggled on a few occasions when Shaw gave him a real run for his money in the first half and was partly at fault for providing Mata a lot of freedom to deliver the ball into the area that ended up in the back of the net.
Simon Francis - 5/10
The Bournemouth captain would be gutted that his side had nothing to show for despite their decent performance on the night. Francis did well to keep Lukaku quiet in a few instances but would feel hard done by the result.
Nathan Ake - 6/10
Despite not being able to prevent Lukaku from getting on the end of that ball from Mata, Ake had a decent game overall and contributed massively, in an advanced role, to Bournemouth's final flurry of attacks towards the end of the game
Charlie Daniels - 6/10
The left-back did well to restrict Valencia to his own half throughout the majority of the game and showed his impressive abilities while going forward. Daniels took up a lot of advanced positions inside United's half and even managed to test De Gea from outside the area.
Junior Stanislas - 6/10
Stanislas started the game very brightly for the visitors and made a few daring runs inside United's final third but he had nothing to show for his efforts and eventually faded off in the second half before being taken off.
Dan Gosling - 5/10
Gosling also did not have the best days in the middle of the park for Bournemouth mainly due to the lack of options provided by his teammates around him. He became a passenger on the pitch as the game went on and was eventually taken off.
Harry Arter - 4/10
An utterly disappointing night for the Irishman who was steam-rolled by McTominay in midfield. Arter continued his inconsistent form and picked up a booking in the second half when he brought down Lingard after failing to keep up with him
Ryan Fraser - 6/10
Fraser also contributed to the pressure exerted by Bournemouth since the start of the game and even managed to find himself in vital positions for the visitors. Like every single one of his teammates, he would feel that they deserved something out of the game.
Joshua King - 5/10
Not a happy return to Old Trafford for the striker who joined the club as a teenager during his initial days in the Premier League. King lacked any spark on the night and was let down by his decision making in the final third of the pitch.
Callum Wilson - 5/10
A disappointing night for the Cherries' man up front who failed to pose any threat whatsoever to De Gea in the opposition's goal. Wilson was kept at bay by the United defenders who responded well from their defeat to Manchester City in the weekend.
Substitutes
Benik Afobe - 5/10
Afobe came on in the 71st minute in a bid to grab an equaliser but failed to create any significant impact despite being at the thick of the action towards the end.
Jermaine Defoe - 5/10
The veteran also came on along with Afobe in a double change for the Cherries and suffered the same fate as his teammate.
Lewis Cook - 5/10
Cook came on in the 77th minute and managed to register a shot on target despite having very little time to stamp his authority in the game.
Manchester United
David De Gea - 9/10
Arguably United's best performer on the night simply due to the number of saves he managed to conjure when Bournemouth continued to surge forward. De Gea managed to come out on top every occasion and did well to keep a clean sheet. Top class!
Antonio Valencia - 7/10
Valencia would have certainly enjoyed more involvement while going forward but due to the nature of the game, the Ecuadorian was mainly restricted to his own half and did well to come out on top.
Phil Jones - 7/10
The Englishman was yet again instrumental for United at the back and did well to hold off the pressure exerted on them by the visitors towards the end of the game, managing to emerge with a clean sheet and all three points on the night.
Chris Smalling - 7/10
Smalling also looked confident while being on the receiving end of a lot of threats imposed on the United defence towards the dying moments of the game. He also showed great awareness with his positioning and marking from set-pieces.
Luke Shaw - 8/10
The full-back enjoyed his involvement in the game and was quite lively going forward in the first half when he managed to display good pace and decent close-control to try and make things happen inside Bournemouth's penalty area.
Nemanja Matic - 7/10
Yet another solid performance from Matic which justified his transfer from Chelsea in the first place. The Serbian carried out his duties with responsibility and covered a lot of ground for his side on the night.
Scott McTominay - 8/10
The youngster grabbed the opportunity to play the full ninety minutes with both hands and was one of United's brightest stars under the lights at Old Trafford. McTominay was tidy while in possession and even managed to launch a few outstanding passes forward to create chances for his teammates.
Juan Mata - 8/10
Mata was at the heart of everything United managed to produce while going forward and displayed exceptional technique to launch a curling ball towards the far post for Lukaku to score the only goal on the night.
Jesse Lingard - 6/10
Lingard failed to deliver at crucial moments for United on the night and was let down by his inability to keep hold of the ball in key areas. The Englishman even lost his footing a couple of times to cap off a dismal performance.
Anthony Martial - 6/10
Despite being involved in United's fine movement inside the opponent's final third during the early stages of the game, Martial failed to leave a lasting impact on the game and struggled to produce the desired end product on a few occasions. The Frenchman would be gutted to have missed a sitter in the second half after failing to score inside an empty net.
Romelu Lukaku - 7/10
Apart from being at the right place at the right time to find the back of the net for United, Lukaku hardly made an impact throughout the ninety minutes. Not the best of performances by the Belgian but he needed that goal more than anyone and it will do his confidence a world of good.
Substitutes
Marcus Rashford - 7/10
Rashford came on to replace Martial in the second half to keep his record of having played in every single game for the Red Devils across all competitions this season. The youngster looked lively and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet when he was denied by the woodwork after he beat Begovic with a thunderous strike from a long way out.
Ander Herrera - 6/10
The Spaniard came on in an attempt to protect United's lead as the game entered its dying moments and successfully managed to do the same.
Ashley Young - N/A
Came on in the 82nd minute to replace Luke Shaw.
