Manchester United’s terrible week hit rock bottom as Bournemouth famously condemned them to a 2-1 defeat on Saturday and, to rub salt into the injury, neighbours Manchester City moved back to the top of the Premier League.
After City clambered above Leicester City on goal difference with a lucky last-gasp strike in a dramatic 2-1 win over Swansea City, Bournemouth wrote another astonishing fairytale by beating United a week after taking the scalp of champions Chelsea.
United’s defeat multiplies the pressure on manager Louis van Gaal, already under pressure for their prosaic playing style and midweek exit from the Champions League.
Yet the Dutchman, happy with his team’s efforts, said he was not worried about the growing discontent with his reign. “It’s always like that. It’s not new,” he told Sky Sports.
United’s setback leaves them fourth in the table, three points behind a City side who are level on 32 with Leicester before the latter host Chelsea on Monday. Third-placed Arsenal, who have 30 points, visit bottom side Aston Villa on Sunday.
After United’s loss at Vfl Wolfsburg in the Champions League on Tuesday, goals from Junior Stanislas and former United player Josh King consigned them to another wounding defeat.
Stanislas scored direct from a wind-assisted corner that bamboozled keeper David de Gea in the second minute and although Marouane Fellaini levelled in the 24th, King struck with a low shot from a well-worked 54th minute corner to earn the points.
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