One man’s vision took Manchester United to greatness. During nearly three decades at the club, Sir Alex Ferguson made the club one of the greatest in the world. But since he’s been gone, the Old Trafford club has suffered more losses at home than the Scotsman has had in his entire tenure. Manchester United has nothing to do with Ferguson anymore. He’s in the past. And what’s left in the present is just a huge shell of a club that is painfully bereft of direction, strategy and joy.Erik Ten Hag took responsibility for Manchester United’s unexpected loss, acknowledging the team’s inconsistency and their inability to maintain a consistent performance level after suffering their 11th defeat in 23 games against Bournemouth, who emerged victorious with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford. It was also the loss that completely disconnected the club from Ferguson.##NAJAVA_MECA_7729458##Ten Hag was annoyed with the team’s poor start. “I think we have always to be ready for the game, and so I have to take the responsibility for that. We are really inconsistent. We have the abilities, but you must perform every game and every third day.”Saturday’s failure was United’s 35th home loss since Sir Alex retired as the club’s manager in 2013. According to Squawka, Ten Hag’s team has now faced more defeats at home post-Ferguson era than the iconic manager suffered during his 27-year tenure with the Red Devils. Ferguson, renowned for claiming 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies, experienced only 34 home defeats during his illustrious managerial career at Old Trafford.Three Cherries suffocate woeful Red Devils as Man Utd’s horror season continuesCaptain Bruno Fernandes admitted that Bournemouth’s intensity surpassed United’s. “They were more intense than us. They wanted it more.” The Portuguese’s frustration led to a booking for dissent, resulting in his suspension for the next game against Liverpool at Anfield.In contrast to Manchester United, there is a small club with no weight of trophy-laden past slowing them down. The Cherries are not one of the greatest clubs in the world, not they aim to be. Instead, they play – and play well. They celebrated their first-ever victory at Old Trafford, scoring through Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing, and Marcos Senesi. Solanke, expressing joy at the win, credited their composure, highlighting their confidence to compete against any opponent.Says it all, goodnight. pic.twitter.com/p2jAxbzBP8— 𝗧𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗴’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘀 ✍🏼🇳🇱 (@TenHagBall_) December 9, 2023 Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth’s manager, hailed the victory as a remarkable achievement, drawing parallels to his previous win against United in the Europa League in 2012. He praised his team’s performance, focusing on their tactics to nullify United’s attacking trio and exploit spaces. Bournemouth’s recent form, with four wins in five games, reflects their growing confidence and belief in their abilities. Iraola emphasized the need to savour the victory while acknowledging the challenges faced in stopping United’s potent attacking force.What’s next for Manchester United? Most probably another cycle of self-deceit, false dawns and more disappointment. The burden of history is too heavy for them to carry.ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 16SaturdayCrystal Palace – Liverpool 1-2 (0-0)/Mateta 57 pen – Salah 76, Elliott 90+1/Sheffield Utd – Brentford 1-0 (1-0)/McAtee 45+1/Brighton – Burnley 1-1 (0-1)/Adingra 77 – Odobert 45/Man Utd – Bournemouth 0-3 (0-1)/Solanke 5, Billing 68, Senesi 73/Wolverhampton – Nott. Forest 1-1 (1-1)/Cunha 32 – Toffolo 14/Aston Villa – Arsenal (1-0)/McGinn 7/Sunday17.00: (14.0) Luton (8.00) Man.City (1.20)17.00: (3.20) Everton (3.40) Chelsea (2.25)17.00: (2.45) Fulham (3.50) West Ham (3.05)19.30: (2.20) Tottenham (3.60) Newcastle (3.40)***odds are subject to change***
