Bournemouth frustrates Man Utd in eight-goal epic
Manchester United and Bournemouth played out a thrilling 4-4 draw at Old Trafford, with the host side squandering three separate leads as eight different players scored.
In what was surely the standout game of the Premier League season so far, United led 1-0, 2-1 and 4-3 yet failed to see out the victory, with Bournemouth having also led 3-2 at one stage.
Ruben Amorim's side started brightly and went ahead through Amad Diallo – who was playing his final game before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations – in the 13th minute.
Bournemouth improved after Marcus Tavernier missed a headed chance, though, and it drew level in the 40th minute, with Antoine Semenyo finishing neatly after Luke Shaw's giveaway.
United restored its lead in first-half stoppage time as Casemiro's far-post header squirmed past Djordje Petrovic, but just six minutes into the second half, it went behind.
Tavernier slipped Evanilson in to make it 2-2 a mere 38 seconds after the restart, then whipped a ferocious free-kick beyond Senne Lammens' grasp to make it 3-2.
After a wild miss from Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes curled a fine free-kick of his own into the top-right corner, then Matheus Cunha latched onto a deflected centre from Benjamin Sesko to make it 4-3.
However, United could not cling on as Bournemouth substitute Junior Kroupi finished in the 84th minute, and David Brooks missed two chances to snatch victory for the visitors in stoppage time.
