Fernandes left out – Man Utd hammered, Bournemouth brilliant – how they rated
Bournemouth beat Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford, securing a third win there in four years and deepening United’s poor run of form. United captain Bruno Fernandes was left on the bench by manager Michael Carrick and was not brought on, while Bournemouth controlled much of the match and took their chances.
Rayan opened the scoring from a free-kick created by Justin Kluivert, and Marcus Tavernier finished Bournemouth’s second after Leny Yoro’s mistake. Evanilson scored the third, capitalising on a major error by United goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Bournemouth’s Rayan, Tavernier and Evanilson each received an 8 in the ratings; several United players were marked down, with Lammens, Youri Tielemans and Amad Diallo given 4.
In short
- Bournemouth won 3-0 at Old Trafford.
- Fernandes was left on the bench throughout.
- Goalkeeper Lammens’ error contributed to the third goal.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Carrick may have had sound tactical or fitness reasons for leaving Fernandes out, and managers must be able to make difficult selection decisions when a team is struggling. Bournemouth’s organised play and clinical finishing were decisive, while individual mistakes helped turn the match into a heavy defeat.
The case against
Leaving the captain unused in a 3-0 home defeat can raise fair questions about Carrick’s judgement and whether United lacked leadership or creativity when they needed a response. The result and several costly errors also support concern that the team’s poor form reflects deeper problems, even as Bournemouth deserve credit for exploiting them.
Explained simply
Manchester United are one of English football’s best-known clubs, but they have struggled for consistency in recent seasons. Bruno Fernandes is their captain and a central midfielder, while Michael Carrick is the manager responsible for selecting the team and deciding who plays.
Bournemouth are a Premier League club from the south coast of England, with fewer resources and a smaller history of major trophies than United. Winning at Old Trafford, United’s home ground, has been a notable achievement for them in recent years.
The match ratings assess how individual players performed, rather than just recording the result. They can help explain which players influenced the game and where a team struggled, though ratings involve judgement.