Premier League: South Coast Showdown Should Be One to Watch

Bournemouth vs Manchester United

The penultimate weekend of the 2022-23 Premier League season approaches and I think it’s fair to suggest both clubs can be quietly pleased with their campaigns to date.

No sooner were Bournemouth promoted a year ago then they were consigned as many people’s favourites, mine included, for the drop – a belief that was only enhanced when they were demolished 9-0 at Liverpool in late August in just their fourth game.

That led to a change in manager, interim initially, and a change in fortune – including avenging that defeat by the Merseysiders – which arguably sparked their run to safety over the past two months.

On Saturday they welcome Manchester United to the Vitality Stadium for their final home game of the campaign, safe from danger and looking ahead to a second successive top flight season.

United themselves have bounced back from a shocking 12 months to make tangible progress and are just two victories away from returning to the Champions League from which they were absent this term.

While the Cherries and their fans can acknowledge each other’s efforts this weekend and play with a degree of freedom, there is still work for the Red Devils to do.

That scenario means this should be far from a drab end-of-season encounter.

Talking Points

Gary O’Neil was the man who temporarily replaced Scott Parker after the Anfield debacle and he was officially appointed head coach following the World Cup.

He not only helped turn their form around but has now guided them to a place where they can finish no lower than 16th this term.

That represents a fine achievement for a club which was written off in virtually every pre-season prediction posted last summer with mainstream pundits, analysts and bookmakers united in their conviction the South Coast club was likely to finish in 20^th place.

After a shocking start which saw them lose their opening two games and conceded six goals in the process, Premier League highlights quickly returned to Old Trafford, inspired by their new manager Erik ten Hag.

They have played more matches than any other side in Europe this season so can be forgiven for showing signs of fatigue.

However, after only their second week without a midweek game since last September, they should be fresher going into this contest – one in which they will want to end a run of poor away form which has seen them suffer back-to-back defeats on the road (1-0 at Brighton and West Ham respectively).

If they can fix their away form on Saturday, they will be within one game of securing a top four finish – something they would surely have taken before ball was kicked.

History

For clubs of very different stature, there should be no surprise that Bournemouth have only tasted victory over United on a handful of occasions.

However, those occasions have always been ones to savour for those associated with the south coast club.

The first of three victories came in January 1984 when the then Second Division Cherries knocked holders United out of the FA Cup at the third round stage.

Two wins have since followed in the Premier League, both at home, in December 2015 and November 2019 which was actually the most recent time they met on home turf as former United youngster Josh King netted the only goal of the contest.

Since then, United have twice beaten them convincingly at Old Trafford.

Later that season, Mason Greenwood scored twice and was joined on the scoresheet by Marcus Rashford (penalty), Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes in a 5-2 home win – a match played behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.

Junior Stanislas and a King penalty had kept Bournemouth in the hunt for a time.

Earlier this season, at the turn of the year, Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Rashford were the marksmen in a comfortable 3-0 win.

Betting Tip

It’s United all the way with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds as the Red Devils are backed 1X2 @ 1.48 and Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.13.

That contrasts to the Cherries who are on offer 1X2 @ 5.20 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.35.

There are always goals in these matches – in fact there has never been a goalless draw – so it’s well worth looking at Over 3.25 goals @ 2.19, Total Goal 0-1 @ 4.90, 2-3 @ 2.08 and 4-6 @ 2.67.

A goalless draw, incidentally, will pay out @ 16.00 with Correct Score, which offers odds of @ 19.50 for a repeat of the last time they met on the south coast.

The 1X2 Draw offers a good payday @ 4.30.

I am going to plump for a goal option as my *** prediction – total goal 2-3 @ 2.08.

 

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