Premier League 2018/19: Manchester United vs Bournemouth

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had a relatively gentle introduction to life as Manchester Uniteds manager, with games against Cardiff and Huddersfield navigated easily enough. This run continued with a game against Eddie Howes Bournemouth side at Old Trafford on Sunday night, and the Red Devils duly obliged, running out 4-1 winners to end 2018 on a relatively happy note. Solskjaers philosophy is beginning to take shape now, with the United players looking increasingly comfortable on the ball, and Paul Pogba, in particular, having been transformed from his earlier malaise.

Uniteds form under their interim manager has seen the Premier League betting odds change dramatically in favour of the Old Trafford club making the Champions League places.

Lineups

Rashfords mobility stretches Bournemouth

Romelu Lukakus absence on compassionate grounds afforded Marcus Rashford the chance to hit the ground running under new management, and the Englishman has, quite literally, taken that chance. Rashford offers greater movement and work-rate off the ball than Lukaku, and he has combined wonderfully with Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial in these three games. This flexibility was abundant at Old Trafford, with Uniteds front three exchanging positions at will to confuse Bournemouths defence. A look at Rashfords touch map from the game will illustrate this point 

Rashfords ability to stretch defences was nowhere more evident than for Uniteds first goal. Look at the image below to see the run he makes, dragging Nathan Ake out to the touchline before dribbling past him and Diego Rico.

Rashfords movement caused Bournemouth problems throughout the game. As his touch map shows, he often moved into the right-hand channel, in that tricky half-space where Bournemouth were undecided as to who should pick him up  the left wing-back, the left-sided centre-back or one of the central midfielders. One passage of play in the first half neatly summarised the threat he carried.