Manchester United and Bournemouth played out a chaotic 4-4 draw at Old Trafford on Monday, with teenage substitute Eli Junior Kroupi scoring an 84th-minute equalizer to deny the hosts a victory in a match that swung wildly from start to finish.
Ruben Amorim’s side looked poised to secure three points after mounting a late comeback of their own, but defensive lapses ultimately cost them the chance to close the gap on the top four. The result leaves United sixth in the Premier League standings on 26 points, while Bournemouth sits 13th, having extended their unbeaten run against the Red Devils to five matches.
United began the match with high intensity, benefiting from a tactical tweak that saw Amad Diallo pushed further forward in his final game before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations. Diallo opened the scoring with a close-range header in the 13th minute, but Bournemouth responded through Antoine Semenyo, who fired a low shot past Senne Lammens.
Tensions flared shortly after when Semenyo grabbed Diogo Dalot’s throat following a collision, though both escaped with yellow cards. United retook the lead just before the break when Casemiro’s header slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.
The hosts' advantage evaporated seconds into the second half as Evanilson equalized immediately after the restart, making it 2-all. Bournemouth then took a 3-2 lead in the 52nd minute via a low free kick from Marcus Tavernier, capitalizing on a foul by Casemiro.
United rallied late in the game, leveling through a stunning Bruno Fernandes set-piece in the 77th minute before Matheus Cunha slotted home a deflected cross from Benjamin Sesko two minutes later to make it 4-3, sending the Old Trafford crowd into a frenzy.
However, the lead lasted just five minutes. In the 84th minute, 19-year-old Kroupi found space on the edge of the box to drive a finish past Lammens, silencing the home fans. Bournemouth nearly snatched a winner deep in stoppage time, but Lammens produced two instinctive reaction saves to deny David Brooks, preserving a point for United in a game that featured a combined 38 shots.
Post-match, United manager Ruben Amorim expressed frustration with his team's inability to convert their dominance into a win. “It might look like we lost the two points in the second half, but I think we lost them in the first half,” Amorim told the BBC. “We dominated and created so many chances... In the end, we deserved more.”
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola took a different view, admitting the chaotic nature of the game was likely better for the viewers than the coaches. “I suppose for the neutrals it’s been a nice game,” Iraola told Sky Sports. “It had everything. Moments where you think it’s a loss, moments where you think we have this one.”
