Manchester United vs Bournemouth: Preview, team news, h2h, predictions as Cherries plot Red Devils’ fall

Former Premier League champions Manchester United welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford on Sunday, October 25, for what promises to be an interesting matchday eight fixture.

Michael Carrick’s side have endured a poor run of results in recent weeks, and they face a Bournemouth team in the opposite mood, three days after a 3-0 win at AC Milan in the Europa League and with three straight victories behind them.

The question for United is whether a squad missing several first-team players can turn possession into points, and for Marco Rose’s men, whether a European high can survive a short turnaround at Old Trafford.

Match Radar

Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth
Competition	Premier League, Matchday eight
Kickoff	Sunday, October 25, 2026, 14:00 GMT (15:00 in Nigeria)
Venue	Old Trafford, Manchester
Where to Watch	Sky Sports Main Event and NOW (UK), Peacock (USA)
Bournemouth have not lost to United in their last five league meetings, winning once and drawing four.

Manchester United vs Bournemouth Form and Context

United sit 13th with seven points from seven games, having won once, drawn four and lost two.

Their last three league outings were all 1-1 draws, against Fulham on September 20, Tottenham on October 10 and Leeds on October 18.

In the Champions League they lost 2-0 at Atletico Madrid and then 4-1 at Como on Wednesday, a performance Carrick himself described as unacceptable.

Bournemouth are 15th on six points, with nine goals scored and 13 conceded, a tally that includes a 5-1 defeat at Chelsea on October 10.

Since that night at Stamford Bridge, Rose’s side have beaten Sturm Graz 3-0, Sunderland 2-0 and Milan 3-0, keeping a clean sheet each time.

Neither team is finishing well: United have scored below their expected-goals total of 12.0, and Bournemouth below their 11.8.

Manchester United vs Bournemouth Head-to-Head

Bournemouth are unbeaten in the last five league meetings, with one win and four draws: 2-2 in March, 4-4 in December, 1-1 in April 2025, a 3-0 win at Old Trafford in December 2024 and 2-2 in April 2024.

An eight-goal thriller at Old Trafford back in 2025! 🫨 https://t.co/De7ueVmikm

— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) October 24, 2026

That December 2024 win repeated a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford a year earlier.

The last four meetings produced 17 goals, which suits a Bournemouth side that has scored in six of its seven league games this season.

United’s last league win in the fixture came on May 20, 2023, though across all competitions they lead 15 wins to five, with seven draws.

Manchester United vs Bournemouth Team News and Predicted XIs

United are without Manuel Ugarte, Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo and Patrick Dorgu, Benjamin Sesko received no fitness update from Carrick, and Marcus Rashford is expected to miss out with a hip problem.

Matthijs de Ligt, who has not yet played a league minute this season, is expected to start in defence as Carrick manages his return, with Lisandro Martinez still a doubt with a thigh problem.

Bournemouth are without Julian Araujo and Alex Scott, while Eli Junior Kroupi is back in training after a foot problem.

The one open selection call is the number 10 role, where Lewis Cook is expected ahead of Justin Kluivert.

Manchester United	AFC Bournemouth
Manuel Ugarte (knee): out Luke Shaw (knock): out Kobbie Mainoo (knock): out Patrick Dorgu (hamstring): out Marcus Rashford (hip): expected out Benjamin Sesko (shin): no update Lisandro Martinez (thigh): doubt	Julian Araujo (thigh): out Alex Scott (muscle): out Eli Junior Kroupi (foot): doubt Alex Toth: doubt

Star Player Comparison: Mbeumo vs Tavernier

Mbeumo, the Cameroon forward, is United’s most consistent threat from the front, while Marcus Tavernier, the Bournemouth midfielder, is his side’s most reliable scoring option.

Both lead their clubs’ league scoring charts, which makes this the cleanest like-for-like comparison on the pitch.

Bryan Mbeumo Striker · Manchester United	Stat	Marcus Tavernier Left attacking midfielder · AFC Bournemouth
4	Goals	4
7	Appearances	7
630	Minutes	578
7 of 7	Games with a shot on target	4 of 7

The Managers: Michael Carrick and Marco Rose

Carrick took over as interim manager on January 13, 2026, after Ruben Amorim was sacked and Darren Fletcher oversaw the games in between.

He guided United to third place and Champions League qualification, and was given a permanent contract to June 2028 in May.

That form has slipped this season, and on Friday he opened his press conference with a long address admitting United had “lost our way a little bit”.

Rose was appointed on April 20, 2026, started on June 1 on a three-year deal, and succeeded Andoni Iraola after three seasons.

His previous jobs were at Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, where he was sacked in March 2025.

His Premier League debut was a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City on August 23, and he has not yet faced United as Bournemouth manager.

Tactical Preview: How Manchester United and Bournemouth Match Up

Both sides are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1, so the contest should be decided in the gaps between the lines.

United’s problem at Como, as Bruno Fernandes described it, was a staff decision not to press man-to-man, which left space behind a back line that then had to retreat.

Carrick’s reply was blunt: “If you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win.”

That is exactly the space Evanilson, who has two goals and four assists, and Tavernier can attack from deep.

A likely pressure point is Bournemouth’s right, where Rayan faces Diogo Dalot, who is predicted at left-back with Shaw and Dorgu out.

At the other end, Mbeumo and Fernandes will test a Bournemouth back line that has conceded 13 league goals, five of them at Chelsea.

Bournemouth also have a day less rest than United after Thursday’s trip to Milan, which could matter most in the final half hour.

The Naija Slip: Manchester United vs Bournemouth Tips

These tips are analytical opinions, not guarantees. Odds can change before kick-off. 18+. Please bet responsibly.

Manchester United vs Bournemouth Score Prediction

United’s finishing should drift back towards their expected-goals total at home, and Bournemouth arrive a day short on rest, but a United defence without Shaw and Dorgu should still concede once.

Manchester United 2 – 1 Bournemouth

A narrow home win with a goal at each end, in a game decided by who handles the pressure better. Likely scorers: Mbeumo, Tavernier.