Ruben Amorim admits Man United crumbled under pressure against Bournemouth

In a disappointing match held on December 22, 2024, at Old Trafford, Manchester United faced a painful 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth. Goals from Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert, and Antoine Semenyo secured the win for Bournemouth, marking United's second consecutive home loss in the Premier League. This defeat left United in 13th place, their lowest position at Christmas since 1989, and further illustrated the struggles of their new head coach, Ruben Amorim. After the match, Amorim expressed his frustration, reflecting on his team's 'nervous' performance and vulnerability to set-pieces, noting this was not merely an aberration but a troubling trend for the club. He admitted that they conceded yet another goal from a set-piece, which has become an ongoing issue, highlighting that this was the seventh time in their last six games that set-pieces led to goals against his team. The atmosphere at Old Trafford was tense and filled with disappointment from the fans, who expressed their displeasure after the final whistle. Amorim, who took over as manager recently, faced substantial pressure as he continues an ambitious rebuild of the team. His decision to bench star player Marcus Rashford for the third consecutive match has raised eyebrows, especially as Rashford indicated a desire for a new challenge, adding to the speculation regarding his future with the club. Despite a recent win against Manchester City in the derby, this defeat against Bournemouth has undermined the progress Amorim has tried to instill. Looking ahead, he warned that the team might need to endure further suffering before they can hope to turn their fortunes around, urging them to maintain focus amid a chaotic atmosphere. United's next challenge will be against Wolves on Boxing Day, where they will aim to bounce back from this damaging loss.