Manchester United and Bournemouth played out a breathtaking 4–4 draw at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes leading by example in a pulsating Premier League clash.
The Red Devils let a lead slip twice but fought back late on through sheer determination and attacking flair.
Old Trafford was buzzing from the first whistle, as both sides entered the game in decent form - United fresh off a dominant 4–1 win over Wolves, while Bournemouth arrived on the back of a hard-fought draw against Chelsea.
Story of the match
Rúben Amorim made one change from last week’s win at Wolves, bringing Lenny Royo in for Noussair Mazraoui, who missed out entirely after departing for AFCON. Benjamin Šeško returned to the bench after injury and illness, joined by Tyler Fredricson, with Shea Lacey dropping out of the squad.
Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola also made one change to his side - Tyler Adams returned from suspension to replace Alex Scott, while Marcos Senesi, Antoine Semenyo,, and Evanilson all retained their places in the starting XI.
United began on the front foot, setting the tone immediately. Inside the first minute, a sweeping counterattack sparked by a clever dummy from Bruno Fernandes saw Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo combine to create the first opening, with Matheus Cunha’s effort deflecting out for a corner.
Early frustration followed for Bournemouth, as Tyler Adams twisted his knee in a 50/50 with Cunha and was forced off just five minutes in replaced by Alex Scott.
The Red Devils pushed on. A whipped Diallo corner flashed across the face of goal, begging for a touch, before Mason Mount forced a fine save from Đorđe Petrović with a crisp volley from an Mbeumo cross in the eighth minute.
In his final game before AFCON, Amad Diallo gave United the lead — meeting a wicked delivery from Diogo Dalot on the left and heading home after Petrović was left stranded by his own save. A well-earned opener for the hosts, who looked sharp and aggressive.
United continued to press — Cunha curled just wide from range, Mbeumo was denied by Petrović again, and Casemiro even ventured forward to test his luck from inside the box.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, struggled to establish rhythm and barely ventured into United territory until the 28th minute, when Marcus Tavernier forced a save from Senne Lammens.
Just as United appeared in total control, Bournemouth struck back.Luke Shaw was outmuscled by Kluivert, who slipped in Semenyo. The Ghanaian finished calmly into the bottom left corner to level the score in the 40th minute. Tempers flared soon after, as Dalot and Semenyo clashed off the ball — both earning yellow cards.
United regained control just before the break. Bruno Fernandes swung in a superb corner, met by Casemiro, who powered his header into the ground and beyond Petrović — though the goalkeeper will feel he could’ve done better. The goal capped a half that United largely dominated in intensity, possession, and quality.
Second Half
Barely 45 seconds into the restart, Evanilson rlatched onto a lovely pass from Tavernier, shrugging off Ayden Heaven and smashing his shot off the post and in. A ruthless finish — and a warning sign for United’s young back line.
Moments later, Casemiro was booked for a late challenge on Tavernier, and from the resulting free kick, the Bournemouth winger turned the game on its head.
A thunderous strike from the set piece rocketed past the wall and into the top corner. Old Trafford was stunned.
Kobbie Mainoo replaced Casemiro to inject some calm, while Amorim urged composure from the touchline. Mount, Cunha, and Mbeumo all saw half-chances go begging as Bournemouth’s defensive shape frustrated United.
Lisandro Martínez and Benjamin Šeško were introduced for Yoro and Mount as United shifted to an aggressive 4-2-4 setup. It worked instantly.
First, captain**Bruno Fernandes** produced a moment of brilliance — whipping a stunning free kick into the top corner from 20 yards out to make it 3–3.
Barely two minutes later, Cunha put United 4–3 up, pouncing on a loose ball after Mbeumo and Šeško combined to cause chaos in the Bournemouth box. The Brazilian made no mistake from close range, sparking wild celebrations around Old Trafford.
But the drama wasn’t done. Substitute**Eli Junior Kroupi** coolly levelled with a slick first touch and low finish after a clever pass fromÁlex Jiménez.
United threw everything forward in stoppage time — Bruno’s cross flashed across goal, while David Brooks twice forced brilliant saves from Lammens to deny Bournemouth a famous win.
After 10 frantic minutes of added time, the whistle blew on a truly chaotic, end-to-end encounter.
An instant classic at Old Trafford — breathtaking football, defensive lapses, and relentless energy from both sides. For United, questions remain about defensive stability, but their attacking firepower kept them alive. Bournemouth, meanwhile, leave Manchester with a result to be proud of.
A captain’s performance in every sense. Fernandes dictated play, created chances, and dragged United forward when the game was slipping away. His inch-perfect free kick encapsulated his quality and leadership on a night when chaos reigned.