Old Trafford se Bournemouth: el United profundiza su crisis

Evanilson hitch ball arriba del arco y Old Trafford fell silent. Bournemouth won 3-0 and Manchester United accumulated eight dates without winning across all competitions. The numbers hurt, but the picture hurts more: the team played with fear, little clarity and zero liquidity in the last stretch.

Rayan opened the scoring at minute 38. Tavernier made it 2-0 at 42 after a loss on Yoro's right side, and Evanilson sealed the game at 71 with a shot that went over Lammens. The third goal also exposed the most uncomfortable image of the afternoon: the failure to communicate between goalkeeper, Lisandro Martínez and Harry Maguire.

Martínez entered, and the problem remained

The Argentine defender entered at minute 65 in place of Ayden Heaven. His presence did not change the script nor stop the third goal. I remember games at Old Trafford where a single clearance or a better body position could turn the whole afternoon around. This one had no rescue. The United kept sinking, and there was no reaction.

Bruno Fernandes did not even enter the field. The captain started on the bench and remained there, four days after the 4-1 defeat against Como in the Champions League. Asked about the tactical decisions, the Portuguese midfielder said: "Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and make them uncomfortable." The words were clear. The pitch offered a different answer.

“It was a purely sporting decision.”Michael Carrick

Carrick, the coach, defended the lineup and insisted the club is still seeking the performance it wants. Fine. The performance, however, looks increasingly distant. Bournemouth did not need to take many risks: the United handed over the spaces and made the goals almost easy. Five defeats in this eight-game stretch are not a minor detail. The bad streak stretches back to the 2015-2016 season.

• Manchester United occupies the 16th place in the Premier League, with only one point above the relegation zone.
• The next opponents are Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
• Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0, with goals from Pascal Gross in own goal and Alexander Isak.

And just to keep the Sunday context in its place, Liverpool won 2-0 to Brighton. Mac Allister played the full 90 minutes, while Isak scored his sixth goal in seven league appearances. Meanwhile, at Old Trafford, the United has three games against Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool before it can breathe. The next fixture does not allow for slow recovery.

Can the United reverse this before the calendar tightens the noose even more? The answer will be found on the pitch, not in declarations. The Red Devils are one point from the relegation zone and have eight games without a win. Next stop: Chelsea. If there is no reaction, the table will keep sending the worst possible message.