Manchester United drew with Bournemouth 4-4 in one of the best games in the Premier League on Monday.
United coach Ruben Amorim said before the match that “playing against Bournemouth is never fun” although that was the f-word he used at the end.
“It’s really disappointing. We are really disappointed. Crazy game. It might look like we lost the two points in the second half but I think we lost them in the first half.
“We dominated and created so many chances. We had to go to half-time with a different result.
“In the end we deserved more. It was a fun game for everyone at home.
“People especially at Old Trafford want to win but they want to be inspired to see a team play good football. We did that well in certain moments.”
The Cherries had beaten United 3-0 in their last two visits to Old Trafford but there seemed little chance of that happening again as the home side took control from the off and was a goal up after 13 minutes.
Diogo Dalot’s lofted cross fell to Amad Diallo to nod in almost on the goal line.
United dominated a pulsating first half but Antoine Semenyo brought Bournemouth level after 40 minutes. Poor defending saw United lose the ball on the left flank and Semenyo strode forward and sent an angled shot under Senne Lammens.
Casemiro restored United’s lead on the stroke of halftime when he headed home from a Bruno Fernandes corner. Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic flapped at the Brazilian’s effort.
It was a different story after the break as the visitors scored twice in six minutes to take the lead for the first time.
Evanilson finished superbly after a great through ball from Marcus Tavernier, and six minutes later Tavernier curled a left-foot shot around the United wall to put Bournemouth 3-2 ahead and silence the home crowd.
United rallied and a superb free kick from Fernandes, so often a savior, sailed into the top corner with 13 minutes left and two minutes later Matheus Cunha got the break of the ball inside the box and finished clinically to put the home side back in front at 4-3.
And yet Bournemouth had its own reserves of resilience to come back a third time in the match.
With six minutes remaining Eli Junior Kroupi finished brilliantly with one-touch control and a curling side-footer past Lammens.
IT’S 4-4 AT OLD TRAFFORD ????
Eli Junior Kroupi levels the scores and celebrates with a backflip.
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“It is one the fans will definitely enjoy,” Tavernier said, “but for us on the pitch it was a bit frustrating. We started the first half very slow but stayed in the game and then in the second came out and did what we had to do.
“The start of the second half was amazing for us on the pitch. We put ourselves in an amazing position in the game. Unfortunately, we conceded such sloppy goals.”
The result lifted Manchester United into sixth place. Bournemouth, winless in seven league games, was 13th.
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were left breathless.
“I think we’ve just seen the best game of the Premier League season so far and that’s what makes the Premier League the greatest league, greatest product, whatever you want to call it, in the world,” Carragher said.
“The majority of that game, Manchester United were absolutely fantastic.
“Bournemouth were not at the races at all in the first half, but they were fantastic in the second. What a game. Brilliant.”
Neville added: “Absolute madness. End-to-end. Punch for punch, especially the second half. It’s a game that you could not call. I’m not sure who’s going to be happiest at the end.
“I said part way through that game, I could live with how Manchester United played through that game but you can’t get away from it’s seven points dropped from their last three games at home.”