Manchester United moved a step closer to playing in the Champions League next season as Casemiro’s brilliant overhead kick earned a 1-0 win away at Bournemouth.
Victory on the south coast, together with Liverpool’s failure to beat Aston Villa, strengthened United’s grip on a top-four spot with two games to play and meant Erik ten Hag is close to achieving his primary objective in his first season in charge.
This was not Ten Hag’s side at their best, but once they were in front they limited a spirited and organised Bournemouth to a handful of chances, with David de Gea in form to deny Gary O’Neil’s side whenever they threatened.
A point against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Thursday will ensure the team go into the final day with the top-four job complete.
United took the lead after nine minutes, partly through good fortune, but the goal owed much to the quick thinking and improvisational brilliance of Casemiro.
Christian Eriksen’s floated ball into the box was flicked on inadvertently by the boot of Marcos Senesi. The defender’s intervention played Casemiro onside and in one movement he swivelled acrobatically and whacked an effort on the turn past Neto to give United the perfect start.
The game settled down, United largely controlling the ball and probing for gaps in behind Bournemouth, most of which were plugged well by O’Neil’s side.
The next real chance fell to Dominic Solanke. A long, reaching pass arrived invitingly at his feet, though the opportunity looked to have gone when Aaron Wan-Bissaka hustled him off the ball. But Solanke would not be deterred and, winning it back, he cut inside United and made space for a low drive which De Gea turned aside brilliantly.
Casemiro tried once again to execute the spectacular when he hit a thumping drive first time from 35 yards which Neto got down well to and held.
On the whole, though, the first half ended with Bournemouth in the ascendency, Solanke reminding United once again of his and his team’s threat by planting a header fractionally over with the last action before the break.
David Brooks, making his first start since being diagnosed with cancer in 2021, tested the reflexes of De Gea minutes after the restart, the goalkeeper throwing up an arm to turn a fizzing drive over the bar.
Brooks was substituted shortly afterwards and left to a standing ovation from the Vitality Stadium.
United were without top scorer Marcus Rashford, out with an unspecified illness after also missing the previous victory against Wolves, and their attack lacked a focal point in his absence.
A goalscorer of Rashford’s instincts might have brought Bournemouth an equaliser when Solanke ran the ball to the byline and sent over a cross that rolled inches in front of the goal. No one in red and black had kept pace with the forward and the ball drifted to safety.
Illya Zabarnyi was in the right spot at the right time to turn Bruno Fernandes’ first-time effort over the bar from Wan-Bissaka’s cut-back as United probed for a second.
Fernandes stung the palms of Neto with a volley from outside the box, the keeper requiring two strong palms to beat it away.
Dango Ouattara came off the bench and caused problems down United’s left, bursting past Luke Shaw and crossing one moment, linking up well with Solanke the next. If Bournemouth were going to find a way back, it looked likely that it would be via the substitute.
Instead it was another of O’Neil’s replacements, Kieffer Moore, that spurned the hosts’ best chance.
Moore’s movement was clever to run in behind, but, with only De Gea to beat, his shot was straight at the keeper, who saved with his leg.
United hearts were in mouths when Senesi volleyed on to the roof of the goal in added time.
But the visitors saw the job out and one more point will ensure Ten Hag can turn attentions to an FA Cup final meeting with Manchester City at Wembley.
Haaland has 'full trust' in Guardiola to halt Man City slump
Erling Haaland has "full trust" in the "best manager in the world", Pep Guardiola, to get Manchester City back on track against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Guardiola's side have lost four matches in a row across all competitions, which is the Spaniard's longest losing run in his entire managerial career.
The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).
But after putting pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension at the club earlier this week, Guardiola has his eyes firmly set on returning to winning ways on home soil.
And Haaland, who has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances under Guardiola at City, believes they can make up the gap to leaders Liverpool, who are five points ahead.
"When you look at what he's been doing for the club, he's not bad, is he? So he's got my full trust," Haaland told Sky Sports.
"And if he tells me something, I'd better do it because he knows the best in the end. Everyone knows that. So I'm sure he will find solutions now as well. I'm sure of that.
"[Guardiola] demands us to be at our best in every training session, in every game. And that's what we need to do. It hasn't been good enough, losing four games now, but let's try to win the next."
Arsenal handed another injury blow as White ruled out for 'months'
Mikel Arteta confirmed that Arsenal defender Ben White is facing "months" on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury.
White had been dealing with several issues all season and has missed five games in all competitions for the Gunners already this term.
After struggling through until the November international break, the decision was taken for him to undergo surgery in order to finally address the ongoing problems.
It serves as a bitter blow for Arteta, with only Thomas Parety (13) making more interceptions than White (11) for Arsenal in the Premier League this campaign.
Though Arteta confirmed that the surgery was successful, White is set for a lengthy spell out of the team.
"It has been different kinds of struggles. It has never been the same thing, but we had to make a decision. He has not improved over the last few weeks, unfortunately," said Arteta.
"We know that Ben is going to push every boundary, but it got to the point where we have to protect the player and we decided to do the surgery.
"He agreed with that and it is going to keep him out for a few months."
Asked for a specific time frame, Arteta added: "We have to see how he reacts post-surgery. I don't expect it to be half a year, but I cannot tell you exactly."
It offers a concern for Arteta in the full-back area, with the Spaniard also revealing on Friday that Takehiro Tomiyasu is "going to be out as well for a bit".
There was, however, some positive injury news for the Gunners ahead of welcoming Nottingham Forest to the Emirates on Saturday.
After not featuring for England during the international break, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are expected to be fit to feature against Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
Leandro Trossard will also be available for Arteta despite picking up a hamstring injury during the international break with Belgium.
Defender Riccardo Calafiori is also in contention for Saturday's game after a month out with a knee problem.
Conte hopes for Ranieri's success at Roma after Napoli clash
Antonio Conte hopes that everything will go well for Claudio Ranieri after he came out of retirement to take charge of Roma, but only after their Serie A clash this weekend.
Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.
A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.
"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.
"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.
"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."
The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.
"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.
"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.
"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."
After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).
Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.
"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.
"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."
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