After a disappointing loss to last placed West Bromwich Albion, Liverpool move within one point of second place. Manchester United must win to keep a second place position.
Manchester United learned that they cannot overlook an opponent, no matter where they are in the Premier League table. For example, United expected an easy win against West Brom, but they came out defeated. Now, Manchester United must fight 11th place Bournemouth. If United loses for the second week in a row, they will most likely lose second place to Liverpool.
When compared to West Bromwich Albion, Bournemouth has a much more volatile attack. For instance, Bournemouth’s top scorer is Callum Wilson, with seven goals. While they may not have a superstar on their roster, they still have a great chance to score. In addition to Wilson, Bournemouth also has former Liverpool player Jordon Ibe, who leads in both shots on goal and assists.
Bournemouth’s roster is not stacked by any stretch of the imagination, but United learned a difficult lesson last week. Going into Wednesday’s match up, United cannot make the same mistakes that they made less than a week ago. Using Nemanja Matic as an example, they cannot forfeit the ball in unfavorable positions. Ultimately, this will lead to counter attacks and possibly goals.
Who will stand out for Manchester United?
Alexis Sanchez is experiencing an impressive run of form at the moment, assisting on three goals against Manchester City. Bournemouth’s defense may have difficulties containing United’s midfield. Furthermore, most teams this season struggled to cope with the attacking power of Manchester United’s midfield.
In addition to Sanchez, Lingard could make an appearance for the Red Devils. Lingard impressed early in the season, as this is Lingard’s most successful season so far in his young career. In the 2017/18 season, Lingard has 8 goals and 4 assists. The English midfielder plays a crucial role in Mourinho’s lineups. With the attacking power of the Red Devils’ Bournemouth may struggle to keep the ball out of the back of the net.
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Ultimately, this match may decide whether or not Manchester United will finish in second place. With Liverpool sitting one point behind, Bournemouth may prove to be a vital fixture in the dying weeks of the season. After a rough loss this past Sunday, United look to correct their mistakes in order to secure a win. If United can pull a win out of the bag, they may solidify their second place position, the highest in the table United has been since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.