MANCHESTER, Dec 22: Manchester United was beaten 3-0 at home by Bournemouth for the second straight season in the Premier League to continue Ruben Amorim’s turbulent start at Old Trafford, while title-chasing Chelsea was held to a 0-0 draw at Everton on Sunday.
The optimism that might have been generated by a last-gasp 2-1 derby win at Manchester City last weekend has disappeared for United, which lost 4-3 at Tottenham in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Thursday before being handed a defeat to Bournemouth by the same score as 12 months ago.
Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo scored for the visitors from the south coast as they climbed to fifth place in the standings, dropping Man City — the beleaguered defending champion — to seventh place after 16 games.
Since drawing Amorim’s first match in charge — at Ipswich on November 24 — United has won four and lost four in all competitions under the Portuguese coach, who left out Marcus Rashford for the third straight match. United sits in 13th place and will be in the bottom half of standings at Christmas for the first time since the 1989-90 season.
Chelsea could have climbed above Liverpool into first place — for a couple of hours at least — with a win at Everton.
However, a 0-0 draw ended the team’s eight-match winning run in all competitions and meant Liverpool could push four points clear by beating Tottenham later Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson headed against the post for Chelsea in the first half.
Everton also held Arsenal 0-0 last weekend and faces Man City next.
Rashford left out again
Rashford was left out of the Manchester United squad for a third straight match ahead of Bournemouth’s visit in the Premier League on Sunday.
Rashford was absent for the 2-1 win at Manchester City in the league last weekend as well as the 4-3 loss at Tottenham in the English League Cup in midweek. United manager Ruben Amorim cited “selection” reasons for Rashford’s absence in both cases.
On Tuesday, the 27-year-old Rashford discussed the possibility of leaving United in an interview with journalist Henry Winter that was published in a post on X.
“For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps,” Rashford was quoted as saying. “When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings.’”
Rashford, who is a graduate of United’s famed academy, is under contract until 2028.
Winning start for Pereira
Vitor Pereira got off to a great start as Wolverhampton manager, with his new team beating Leicester 3-0 in his first match in charge.
Pereira took charge on Thursday as the replacement for Gary O’Neil and immediately ended Wolves’ four-game losing run as Gonçalo Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes and Matheus Cunha scored first-half goals at King Power Stadium.
It handed Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy a second straight big loss early in his reign, after a 4-0 defeat at Newcastle last weekend.
Another recently hired Premier League manager, Ivan Juric, began life at Southampton with a 0-0 draw at Fulham.
Juric wasn’t in charge of the team because he doesn’t have a work permit. He was sitting in the stands for the match instead.
Jesus’ streak
It’s five goals in a week for Gabriel Jesus against Crystal Palace.
After scoring a hat trick in Arsenal’s 3-2 comeback win against Palace in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, the Brazil striker hit another two goals when the teams met again on Saturday.
Going into Wednesday’s game, Jesus had only scored once for Arsenal since the end of January.
Jesus struck twice in a frantic start at Selhurst Park. He opened the scoring in the sixth, with Ismaila Sarr leveling five minutes later.
Jesus restored Arsenal’s lead in the 14th and was denied back-to-back hat tricks when hitting the post and then having another close range effort saved by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice also scored for Arsenal. (AP)
