"United is a hell of a team" - Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola claims his side are 'very far' from Manchester United's level after 4-1 loss

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola lavished praise on Manchester United following their 4-1 defeat to the Red Devils in a pre-season friendly on Thursday, July 31. The two sides met at Soldier Field as part of their tour of the USA.

First-half goals from Rasmus Hojlund and Patrick Dorgu gave Ruben Amorim's side a comfortable lead before the break. Amad Diallo and Ethan Williams then netted one each before the Cherries got on the scoresheet through a late Matthijs de Ligt own goal.

After the match's conclusion, Iraola told the media (via GOAL):

"We are very far right now from United, I think United is a hell of a team and they've signed also very well. Today they showed that they are above us in this moment... We still have some time to prepare but we are not probably as good as we looked the other day and as bad as we looked today - somewhere in the middle. We have to continue preparing [for] the season."

Manchester United need to start the season well after a disappointing 15th-place finish in the Premier League last year. It won't be an easy start for the Red Devils, with the first league outing set to take place at Old Trafford against Arsenal on Sunday, August 17.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth ended their 2024/25 English top-flight campaign ninth on the table. They begin their league season this year with a game against the champions Liverpool on Friday, August 15.

Rasmus Hojlund responds to question about his future amid Manchester United exit talks

Rasmus Hojlund has had two tough years at Manchester United since joining the club from Atalanta. As a result, there were rumors of an exit for the Denmark international, with Inter Milan reportedly enquiring about him earlier in the transfer window.

Moreover, the Red Devils are said to be pursuing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. Despite this, Hojlund wants to fight for his place and said (via Manchester Evening News):

"Nothing so far. I think the most important thing for me is just to keep working hard and stay focused and then obviously we'll see what happens. I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens. I'm still very young"

To date, Hojlund has made 95 appearances across competitions for Manchester United, bagging 26 goals and six assists. He contracted at Old Trafford till the summer of 2028.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh