Both previous away trips to the Theatre of Dreams have resulted in 3-0 wins for Andoni Iraola’s side – the Daily Echo takes a look back at those two games.
[December 9, 2023: Manchester United 0-3 AFC Bournemouth](https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/23979529.afc-bournemouth-ease-3-0-win-away-manchester-united/?ref=ed_direct)
Iraola’s Cherries arrived at Old Trafford on good form. After failing to register a league win in the Basque boss’s first nine games in charge, a first league win over Burnley broke the dam and the points started to flow.
While they were beaten 6-1 across Manchester by City straight after the game against the Clarets, the United game fell after a four-game unbeaten run, with wins over Newcastle, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.
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And the Cherries started like a team in form.
Within five minutes, they hit the front as Dominic Solanke glanced an effort through Harry Maguire’s legs and into the back of the net from a Lewis Cook ball across the face of goal.
Bournemouth had a goal disallowed and struck the post through Cook before halftime, and two goals in quick succession sealed the points for the visitors.
Substitute Philip Billing made it 2-0 in the 68th minute, as he headed past Andre Onana, before Marcos Senesi completed the scoring five minutes later as he converted from a corner having been left unmarked.
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Another Cherries goal was disallowed, this time for handball from Dango Ouattara, but it did not matter as the final whistle went and Iraola’s side moved up to 14th in the table.
[December 22, 2024: Manchester United 0-3 AFC Bournemouth](https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/24813032.afc-bournemouth-beat-manchester-united-3-0-old-trafford/?ref=ed_direct)
The Cherries headed north the weekend with three points on their Christmas list – and that was duly delivered.
Again, Iraola’s side arrived a team in form. Their 4-2 win at Wolves at the end of November began what would become the club’s record Premier League unbeaten run.
Wins against Spurs and Ipswich followed, before a draw against West Ham on the Monday night before the trip to Old Trafford.
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It took just under half an hour for the Cherries to break the deadlock, with Dean Huijsen rising to guide a Ryan Christie free kick into the net.
Two goals in two minutes in the second half would confirm the three points for Bournemouth.
Justin Kluivert was brought down in the box by Noussair Mazraoui and picked himself up to convert from the penalty spot to make it 2-0 after 61 minutes.
Antoine Semenyo made it three as he stroked the ball home from a Dango Ouattara cut back, and the Cherries defence held firm to see Iraola’s side rise to fifth in the league.