Much-changed Manchester United coast to win at Bournemouth
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Updated 18/04/2018 at 21:48 GMT
Premier League, Vitality Stadium – Bournemouth 0 Manchester United 2 (Smalling, 28, Lukaku, 70)
Manchester United's Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku (R) celebrates with Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba after scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitali
Image credit: Getty Images
A much-changed Manchester United side beat Bournemouth 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho made seven changes to the side that lost to West Brom on Sunday, with David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba the only survivors.
The first moment of real quality heralded the first goal, with Jesse Lingard latching onto Ander Herrera's perfect slide-rule pass to square for Chris Smalling to tap home.
Smalling’s third strike in six league games means the England defender now boasts more United goals than January’s marquee forward-line signing Alexis Sanchez.
Chile’s former Arsenal striker Sanchez has mustered just two goals in nine league appearances for United, while Smalling has now found the net in three successive away contests.
Romelu Lukaku emerged from the bench to add a second as United prepared for their FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham with a consummate performance on the south coast.
The strike was the Belgian's16th league goal of the season.
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Much-changed United coast to win at Bournemouth
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT
Pogba makes his case ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final. Paul Pogba was one of just four United players to keep their place in the team following the humiliating 1-0 defeat to West Brom last weekend, which was something of a surprise given the club-record signing's seemingly fractured relationship with manager Jose Mourinho.
Pogba was abject in the defeat to the Baggies at Old Trafford, which confirmed Man City as Premier League champions, having been magnificent in the second-half of United's 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium which put City's celebrations on ice. The unpredictable Frenchman was back to form at the Vitality Stadium, impressing with a simple but commanding performance and playing a significant part in both goals.
His pass created the second goal for Romelu Lukaku, making the game safe for United, and he was replaced by Daley Blind with ten minutes remaining, suggesting he will start this weekend Wembley showdown against Spurs. The only question is: which Pogba will turn up?
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Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on April 18, 2018
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MAN OF THE MATCH
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United): Aside from Pogba, Rashford was Manchester United's brightest player on just his second league start since Boxing Day. The young England international started as a central striker but switched to the wing once Lukaku came on, and wherever he played he was full of pace and invention. Like Pogba, he has surely done enough to earn a start on Saturday.
PLAYER RATINGS
Bournemouth XI: Begovic 6; Francis 6, Cook 7, Ake 6, Daniels 6; Fraser 6, Cook 6, Surman 5, Ibe 4; King 5, Wilson 6. Subs: Mousset 6, Gosling 5, Defoe 5
Man United XI: De Gea 7; Darmian 6, Jones 6, Smalling 7, Shaw 7; Herrera 8, Fellani 6, Pogba 8; Lingard 7, Rashford 8, Martial 6. Subs: Lukaku 8, Matic 6, Blind 5
KEY MOMENTS
28' - GOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL! Bournemouth 0-1 Man United! The first moment of real quality from United produces the first goal. Herrera's perfect slide-rule pass dissects Bournemouth's defence and finds Lingard. The England international squares for Smalling to tap home on his 150th appearance for Utd.
54' - Wilson penalty appeal waved away. Big moment of controversy as Josh King plays a ball into the box towards Callum Wilson, who appears to be being manhandled by Luke Shaw. The Bournemouth forward just managers to skew his shot wide before going to ground but the referee waves the hosts' appeals away. Shaw definitely had an arm over Wilson there.
64' - No, again from the referee! Another Bournemouth appeal waves away by Graham Scott as Wilson appears to be held back by a prone Phil Jones in the box. The Bournemouth striker did not go to ground, which probably saved Jones there.
70' - GOOOOAAAALLLLL! Bournemouth 0-2 United! United are surely going four points clear into fouth. Paul Pogba drives forward and slips in sub Romelu Lukaku, who beats Begovic to the ball and clips home. 27 goals in 47 matches this season for the striker.
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Manchester United's French striker Anthony Martial (L) vies with Bournemouth's English defender Simon Francis during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern Engla
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KEY STATS
- David de Gea has kept more clean sheets in all competitions for Man Utd in 2017-18 than he has in any other season for the club (21).
- Manchester United have won six of their last seven Premier League games (L1), scoring two or more goals in each victory.
- After winning their first Premier League meeting with Man Utd (2-1 in December 2015), Bournemouth have lost four and drawn one of the subsequent five.
- Romelu Lukaku has scored seven goals in his six Premier League appearances against Bournemouth.
- No player has provided more Premier League assists in away games this season than Paul Pogba (7 – level with Christian Eriksen and David Silva).
- Jesse Lingard has been directly involved in 19 goals in all competitions this season (13 goals, 6 assists), one more than he managed in his previous three seasons for Man Utd combined (18).
- Chris Smalling has scored in three consecutive Premier League away appearances, after scoring just once in his previous 101 games.
- Asmir Begovic has kept just one clean sheet in his last 22 Premier League games and none in the last 10.
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