Ruben Amorim is happy with Manchester United's improvements but urged his players to put their EFL Cup defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday behind them.
United avoided a third successive Premier League defeat last weekend as two late goals saw them beat rivals Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
However, they were knocked out of the EFL Cup on Thursday after a 4-3 defeat to Tottenham in the quarter-final, with a late Son Heung-min strike straight from a corner securing their fate after a spirited attempt at a comeback.
While Amorim admitted it was difficult to see the positives after that loss, he was impressed with the work his players had put in so far.
“I think we are improving near the opponent's penalty area. We had some games where we were close to the penalty area but without a real threat,” he said.
“You could see different things, and you can see that we can shoot. We are close to the goal and you can feel it.
“I feel like our team is faster, pressing more, physicality improving, understanding of the game improving, and you can see it in the control of the game, and you see it more.
'We understand more [about] the position and the movement we have to do. So there are a lot of things, but it's hard to think of the good things [after the EFL Cup exit].”
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches, although they were held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham after three wins.
Andoni Iraola perhaps believes his side should have made it four wins in a row after 29 shots with an expected goals ratio (xG) of 2.01 in that match, and he acknowledged these could be even more clinical.
“The way we play makes our attackers arrive more tired to take our chances. It's not the same chance you have as if you just wait for a chance like a nine,” he said.
“You have to do all the work, and you may not arrive with enough clarity to finish the same way.”
Who is looking forward to this? pic.twitter.com/5F26cYgZpQ
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) December 19, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester United – Amad Diallo
Amad Diallo has scored or assisted a goal in each of his last five Premier League starts (one goal, five assists), netting the winner against Man City last time out.
In total, the 22-year-old was involved in seven goals during Amorim's tenure, scoring two goals and providing five assists in all competitions.
Bournemouth v Ryan Christie
Ryan Christie was directly involved in 11 of Bournemouth's 29 shots against West Ham, scoring six shots and creating five chances.
It was only the third time a Cherries player had both 5+ shots and created 5+ chances in a Premier League match, after Jordon Ibe vs. Brighton in January 2018 (seven shots, five chances created) and Josh King vs. Chelsea in January 2019 (five shots, five chances created).
MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER UNITED WIN
Manchester United failed to win their Premier League meetings with Bournemouth last season, losing 3-0 at Old Trafford in December, but they have never lost back-to-back home meetings with the Cherries.
Bournemouth have lost five of their seven Premier League away games against United (W1 D1).
However, Bournemouth have won their last two away games in the Premier League. The last time they won in a row was in December 2023, a run of four in which the third game came against United.
Only Man City (282) have had more shots in the Premier League this season than Bournemouth (270), with the 29 they attempted against West Ham last time out being their second most in a Premier League match, behind the 32 which they had against Sheffield. United in March 2024.
United have conceded a higher proportion of their goals from corners than any other side in the Premier League this season (42% – 8/19). Four of the seven goals conceded by Amorim so far came from corners.
OPTA CHANCE OF WINNING
Manchester United – 50.1%
Draw – 23.6%
Bournemouth – 26.3%
Comments