Match preview, form guide, line-ups and key info for the Premier League Monday clash at Old Trafford 🏟️
Manchester United host Bournemouth in a Monday Night game that looks like a real maturity exam for both sides: the Red Devils are chasing Champions League spots, while the Cherries are trying to stay well away from the relegation battle and prove that last season’s shock win at Old Trafford was no accident (Manchester United vs Bournemouth 0-3 on December 22, 2024).
United are sitting just outside the top four, within touching distance of the Champions League places, while Bournemouth hover in mid-table, boosted above all by their home form but far less convincing away from home.
Red Devils still under scrutiny
Manchester United are currently sixth in the Premier League with 25 points and need to secure European football for next season while pushing hard for the a top four finish. After a run of improved results the Red Devils are still under the intense scrutiny from media and fans, who are demanding consistency under Rúben Amorim.
Bournemouth sit 13th on 20 points. The Cherries are : an awkward, stubborn side capable of raising their level significantly at home, but have managed only one win and four defeats in their first seven away league fixtures.
Manchester defeated Wolves
In the last three rounds, Manchester United have finally started to build some rhythm, while Bournemouth continue to swing between promising performances and painful setbacks.
Manchester United – latest Premier League results
Crystal Palace 1–2 Manchester United – a hard-fought but crucial away win, with the Red Devils managing the closing stages well and climbing the table
Manchester United 1–1 West Ham United – a home draw that left some regrets, with Amorim critical of his side’s inability to kill off the game at the right moment
Wolverhampton 1–4 Manchester United – a statement win on the road, with Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount driving a dominant performance that helped reignite United’s ambitions.
Bournemouth without wins since October
Bournemouth – latest Premier League trend
Sunderland 3–2 Bournemouth – a frustrating away defeat in a chaotic, end-to-end game
Bournemouth 0–1 Everton – a narrow home loss where the Cherries failed to turn long spells of possession into clear chances
Bournemouth 0–0 Chelsea – a disciplined, energetic display at home, earning a valuable clean sheet and a point against one of the league’s top sides.
Overall, Bournemouth remain an awkward, stubborn opponent. They have struggled away from home, with just one win and several defeats on their travel and, at the same time, they are capable of high-intensity performances at home and are always ready to punish stronger teams who underestimate them.
Manchester United: Amorim’s structure, key players and the AFCON twist
For this Monday night clash against Bournemouth, Rúben Amorim should once again trust his 3-4-2-1 structure, but with some important changes in personnel. The latest previews point towards Senne Lammens in goal and a back three made up of Noussair Mazraoui, Ayden Heaven and Luke Shaw, with Amad Diallo and Diogo Dalot operating as very aggressive wing-backs, Amad on the right and Dalot shifting to the left. In the middle Casemiro will be asked to hold the balance while Bruno Fernandes directs traffic and connects play, with Mason Mount drifting between the lines and Matheus Cunha leading the line as a mobile, hard-working centre-forward. Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are both expected to miss out through injury, while Benjamin Šeško remains a doubt, which makes this XI even more significant as a test of United’s squad depth.
The hottest storyline, however, is still Bryan Mbeumo. Rather than being unavailable, the Cameroon forward has been cleared to play this game after an agreement between Manchester United and both Ivory Coast and Cameroon: Amad and Mbeumo will only travel to the Africa Cup of Nations once the Bournemouth match is over, since this is the only Premier League fixture scheduled on the final release day.
Bournemouth: Petrovic’s safe hands and a dangerous underdog
Bournemouth arrive at Old Trafford in the perfect role for a Monday night: clear underdogs, but anything but harmless. The symbolic face of this new Cherries side stands in goal, where Đorđe Petrović brings the authority of a goalkeeper who has climbed his way up step by step. He joined Bournemouth in 2025 after a fascinating journey that took him from Čukarički in Serbia to New England Revolution in MLS, then on to Chelsea, followed by a highly successful loan spell at Strasbourg before finally landing on the south coast.
In the Premier League he is already recognised as a high-level goalkeeper, with extremely fast reflexes, a real knack for saving penalties and a long list of decisive interventions on shots from distance. His style is often compared to Thibaut Courtois: big presence, calm in the box, and the feeling that he can steal points almost on his own on the right night.
In front of Petrović, Bournemouth will lean on a compact back line, with physical centre-backs and full-backs ready to push on whenever there is space. In midfield they will try to clog the central areas, closing down the passing lanes towards Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha, and forcing United to work hard to create clean chances.
Further forward, Bournemouth remain a side you really should not underestimate. They may not have the same individual star power as Manchester United, but they combine well, break quickly down the flanks and are always dangerous in transition, especially against big teams who commit many players forward and leave room to attack.
Petrović is the quiet leader behind all of this. His career is basically a sequence of challenges accepted and won, each step built on proving sceptics wrong. He comes into this Monday Night with the reputation of a goalkeeper who keeps his team alive; if Bournemouth manage to take something from Old Trafford, there is a very good chance that his name will be right at the heart of the story.
Head-to-head: Old Trafford memories and Bournemouth’s shock wins
The overall head-to-head record clearly leans towards United, but there have been enough twists along the way to keep Manchester United vs Bournemouth interesting every time it appears on the calendar. Across their meetings in all competitions, United have won the majority of games, while Bournemouth have collected a smaller but still meaningful number of victories and a few draws that have helped shape the narrative of this fixture.
In the long term Manchester United have dominated the rivalry, yet Bournemouth have already spoiled the party at Old Trafford on more than one occasion, most notably with that famous 3–0 away win last season which left a deep mark on the dressing room and the fanbase. Here the latest results from this fixture at Old Trafford:
13/12/2017 – Manchester United vs Bournemouth 1-0
30/12/2018 – Manchester United vs Bournemouth 4-1
04/07/2020 – Manchester United vs Bournemouth 5-2
03/01/2023 – Manchester United vs Bournemouth 3-0
09/12/2023 – Manchester United vs Bournemouth 0-3
22/12/2024 – Manchester United vs Bournemouth 0-3
Manchester United vs Bournemouth: Probable line-ups 🎽
Manchester United 🔴⚫
System: 3-4-2-1
Arne Lammens
Noussair Mazraoui
Ayden Heaven
Luke Shaw
Patrick Dorgu
Bruno Fernandes
Casemiro
Diogo Dalot
Bryan Mbeumo
Mason Mount
Matheus Cunha
Team Manager 🧑🏫
Rúben Amorim
Reserves 🔁
–
Not available players ❌
De Ligt
Maguire
Sesko (doubt)
Bournemouth 🍒
Petrovic
Smith
Diakité
Senesi
Truffert
Adams
Scott
Brooks
Tavernier
Semenyo
Evanilson
Team Manager 🧑🏫
Andoni Iraola
Not available players ❌
Cook
Milosvljevic
Christie
Doak
Where to watch Manchester United vs Bournemouth ⚽📺
Korea Republic: Copang Play
Italy: Sky Go Italia, Sky Sport Max, Now TV
United Kingdom: Sky Sports or TNT Sports (depending on the 2025–26 package – always double-check the latest TV listings).
Saudi Arabia: beIN Sports HD1
USA: USA Network, Telemundo, NBC Sports, Universo, Universo Now, SiriusXM FC
Rest of the world: check local listings and LiveSoccerTV‘s full global schedule for “Manchester United vs Bournemouth”
The Best Monday Night ⭐️⭐️⭐️⚽️
This Old Trafford Monday Night is more than just another mid-season league game. For Manchester United, it is a real test of consistency and mentality, the kind of match that shows whether their recent improvement can hold under pressure. If United manage to turn possession and pressure into goals, they can stay firmly on track in the race for a Champions League return. If instead they leave space for Bournemouth’s counters and the Cherries’ Serbian goalkeeper produces one of his big nights, the Theatre of Dreams could experience yet another uncomfortable twist.
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Credits
Illustration: Match Preview Manchester United vs Bournemouth – original match graphic created for TotalSportNews. All rights reserved to TotalSportNews.
Image Manchester United FC crest (file “Manchester United FC crest.svg”, Wikimedia). Official club trademark reproduced for editorial illustration purposes only. All rights reserved to Manchester United Football Club.
Image: AFC Bournemouth crest (file “AFC_Bournemouth_(2013).svg”, Wikimedia). Official club trademark reproduced for editorial illustration purposes only. All rights reserved to AFC Bournemouth.
Background statue: Old Trafford “United Trinity”, image used in the Match Preview Manchester United vs Bournemouth, photo by Dan Parker, used under the Unsplash License (free for commercial use, attribution appreciated). All rights reserved to the original photographer.