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It may sound foolish, but this might have been the sort of game Michael Carrick was waiting for. Manchester United have just the second stalemate of his new tenure after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth that offered plenty of drama, but while it’s a game that only offered one point for the interim United boss, it provided him with a few important lessons.
Carrick’s second interim tenure has been superb so far, his United side earning 25 of 30 available points in his first 10 games in charge. It has seen a memorable win over Arsenal, a superb performance in a victory over Manchester City, a dramatic late winner against Fulham. It’s even seen more attritional displays, with the away win over Everton standing out.
However, what it hadn’t seen until today was a real display of character when the chips are down. No real test of character, nothing to show him – or indeed the next United manager – who can be relied upon when your backs are against the wall. It has come at the cost of two points, but Carrick might be pleased to finally know that for sure.
The reverse fixture at Old Trafford in December produced one of the games of the season in a brilliant 4-4 draw, and while this was not quite the goal-fest from a few months ago, it was a similarly intriguing match at the Vitality Stadium.
While it ended level at the break, it did not take long to explode into life in the second half, Matheus Cunha skipping past two defenders before having his shirt pulled in the box.
It was time for Fernandes to score rather than assist, and he needed no invitation as he slid his spot-kick past Djordje Petrovic for 1-0. However, the lead only lasted six minutes, Ryan Christie cushioning in a lovely finish to level it. United felt they should have had another penalty moments before the goal, Amad brought down in the area by Truffert, but VAR waved it away.
It’s a decision that will be controversial, with Carrick later saying it was “difficult to make sense” of, but the United manager will be more concerned with the things he can control. His side recovered well initially to re-take the lead, another great Fernandes corner causing havoc in the box as Hill headed it into his own net.
However, it was a slip-up at a vital time that came to define this game, Harry Maguire caught out in defence before bringing down Evanilson when the Brazilian was clean through. A straight red card for the England international, and a penalty that Eli Junior Kroupi confidently dispatched.
From 2-1 up and looking confident, United had been dragged back to 2-2, and now faced around 20 minutes against a Bournemouth side with their tails up. The Cherries had been playing well even when both sides had 11 men on the pitch, and they had matched United for parts of the game, so it certainly felt like they would be able to take their chance.
However, it wasn’t to be. The Cherries pegged back the visitors at times but they were unable to sustain any real pressure even as the match entered nine minutes of added time. Key United players stepped up to break up Bournemouth attacks and maintain possession, and the visitors arguably had the better of the chances as the game ticked towards full-time.
It was a far cry from the days of Ruben Amorim, when a United side under any sort of pressure would inevitably crumble eventually. And while Carrick himself will take some credit for that, a few of his players continue to step up at pivotal points throughout games, with several of the usual suspects once again doing so at the Vitality.
Carrick was once United’s ‘Mr. Reliable’ and some of his players seem to be growing into that role in the current set up. Casemiro and Mainoo have become two of United’s most important players, both near-undroppable despite the latter barely featuring towards the end of Ruben Amorim’s reign.
While Casemiro has taken the plaudits of late due to a run of goals, Mainoo remains a solid option in midfield, almost always making the right choice in possession. At only 20 years of age, he could yet achieve so much at club and international level, especially with a different profile alongside him if Casemiro does depart this season.
The pair’s midfield partner continues his battle to be named the league’s Player of the Season, Bruno Fernandes chipping in with a goal this time round, even if he was robbed of an official assist as his corner was eventually headed into the net by a Bournemouth player.
Luke Shaw provided several key tackles and interceptions throughout, while both Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven were dependable as the game wore on, in a game-state that is undeniably difficult for players aged just 20 and 19 respectively.
In attack, the summer signings have been celebrated for their goal contributions so far but Cunha stood out throughout the match for his ability to sustain attacks, keep possession and remain a real threat, the Brazilian doing brilliantly to win the first penalty. At the other end, Senne Lammens has proven an astute signing, and he was once again solid in dealing with balls into the box as the hosts pushed for a winner.
In the end, these figures all played a part in a game that might be looked back on as a decent result come the end of the season. In terms of this season, it’s a point that takes the club one small step closer towards the goal of Champions League qualification; for Carrick and the club as a whole, it’s a demonstration of who to build the squad around as they look to mount a title challenge in 2027 and beyond.
