Michael Carrick is hanging on to his job as Manchester United manager by a thread after his side were handsomely turned over 3-0 at Old Trafford by Bournemouth.
Goals from Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson did the damage but by the time the boos rang out at full-time, Carrick will have been fully aware that this may be his final act as manager.
He did so by dropping captain Bruno Fernandes, and choosing not to bring him on at any stage, which felt a significant message, albeit one that will fall on deaf ears after another shocking defeat.
Bournemouth were excellent just days on from drubbing Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan and they look everything United are not: hungry, organised, and going places.
Daily Mail Sport’s NATHAN SALT was at Old Trafford to run the rule over the two sides…
Evanilson made it 3-0 to cap a painful afternoon for Manchester United and Michael Carrick
Carrick knew this may have been the end of his brief reign at Old Trafford
Manchester United (4-2-3-1)
Senne Lammens – 3
Looked to be coming out relatively blame-free – the defence in front of him isn’t giving him a chance on goals like the first two – but all the blame fell at his feet for the third, which killed the game. Rushed out and was left looking foolish by the brilliant Evanilson.
Leny Yoro – 4
Recently, Yoro has played relatively well for large spells of a game, only for key moments to undo all the good. He made a crucial clearance in the six-yard box eight minutes in to deny Evanilson a tap in but later made a costly slip on the stroke of half-time as Bournemouth made it 2-0. Looked like he wanted Old Trafford to swallow him up.
Harry Maguire – 5
Wearing the captain’s armband in the Premier League for the first time since May 2023, Maguire made an attempt to encourage team-mates before kick-off – evidently it all fell on deaf ears. A couple of driving runs got the crowd off their seats but he could do nothing to stop the bleeding.
Ayden Heaven – 3
Flew in recklessly with both feet off the ground to give away the free-kick from which Bournemouth opened the scoring. Was very fortunate to get away with another mistake early in the second when his misplaced pass set Rayan free. Looked naive out there – which was probably why Carrick eventually hooked him.
Ayden Heaven was booked for a two-footed challenge that Evanilson evaded
Diogo Dalot – 3
Got torched defensively by Rayan and wasted so many good opportunities at the other end when United were crying out for one good cross into the box. It would never arrive. He’s best described as a willing runner who is well short of the required standard.
Andrey Santos – 4
Looks so pedestrian in the middle of the park when the hope was he would bring that youth and exuberance you would expect from a 22-year-old. Maybe he’s been ground down by the malaise at United but he’s fallen well short of expectations and this display was no different.
Carlos Baleba – 5
Made a couple of smart interceptions but we’re clutching at straws from a desperately drab display. Needs to get better at finding the decisive pass when he does break up opposition play – which he does better than anyone else in this side.
Amad – 5
Got one of the biggest cheers of the day from the home crowd with a clever piece of skill to nutmeg Adrien Truffert. But he’s a moments player that isn’t producing enough of them. His lack of pace is a real problem, too, given United are already badly short in that department.
Youri Tielemans – 3
Looked totally off the pace in his preferred No 10 position and was hooked at half-time. Tielemans has shown flashes of real quality in recent weeks as it’s all unravelled but there was none of that here. Booked.
Youri Tielemans looked off the pace and was replaced at half-time
Mason Mount – 4
He’s been here too long now to keep going through games making little to no positive impact on it from an attacking sense. Starting on the left he was largely invisible and that changed little when moved to No 10 at half-time. Has escaped criticism for too long.
Bryan Mbeumo – 5
Started the game as the only Manchester United player to have scored a Premier League goal in 2026, which helped underline how far this club has fallen. Looked like the only one capable of scoring on another disastrous day for the club.
MANAGER: Michael Carrick – 3
Was ballsy in dropping captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes to the bench after his comments in Como but this was a performance that showed both he and his players have no idea what it is they want or are trying to do. A dead man walking, unfortunately.
SUBS
Matheus Cunha (for Youri Tielemans, 46) – 5
Tried to inject some energy into proceedings and quickly discovered those around him were not on the same page.
Lisandro Martinez (for Ayden Heaven, 64) – 4
Slipped soon after coming on and Rayan should have scored. No idea what he was unhappy with as Bournemouth made a mockery of the back-line for the third.
Joshua Zirkzee (for Carlos Baleba, 71) – 5
Chucked on in hope more so than expectation and unsurprisingly found chances hard to come by.
Shea Lacey (for Amad, 78) – 5
AFC BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1)
Djordje Petrovic – 7
Made a huge save moments after Bournemouth scored to tip Mbeumo’s cross-goal shot wide and he’s quickly showing himself to be a very good young goalkeeper.
Bryan Mbeumo had an early effort saved by Djordje Petrovic, who impressed
Adam Smith – 6
Been here since the League One days and shows no signs of becoming any less influential for this group. His leadership is so important to all the good that comes from the more creative players ahead of him.
Antonio Silva – 8
The 22-year-old has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and showed with his reading of the game here why Bournemouth once again face a fight to keep hold of a rising young star at the back for the long term.
James Hill – 7
His long throw gave United – a dreadfully poor team from set pieces – plenty to think about early on and he made a crucial sliding intervention to stop Mbeumo getting a back post tap-in in the first half. Not flashy but he’s ever so reliable.
Adrien Truffert – 7
Would not have believed his luck after his harrying forced Yoro into a costly mistake, leaving Truffert the chance to deliver his easiest assist of the season to tee up Tavernier. Managed to limit Amad to relatively little at the other end so a good day all told for the Frenchman.
Adrien Truffert capitalised on Leny Yoro’s slip to set up Bournemouth’s second
Lewis Cook – 6
Didn’t do a great deal to catch the eye but that’s not why Marco Rose has him in that midfield pivot. Reads the game really well and he managed to unsettle both Baleba and Santos, which was a job well done.
Tyler Adams – 6
Will have taken headlines for his decision not to take the knee pre-match but thereafter he had a very quiet afternoon where he let those ahead of him do the talking.
Rayan – 7
A brilliant display that deserved more. A couple of spurned finishes before Evanilson added the cherry on top will be the bug-bear as he watches the film back. He’s got all the potential to be one of the best players in the league at his current trajectory.
Justin Kluivert – 7
Left the pitch having created the most chances of any player out there for the 63 minutes of action he got. His delivery for Bournemouth’s opening goal was as brilliant as United’s defending for it was awful.
Marcus Tavernier celebrates scoring the second goal with Justin Kluivert
Marcus Tavernier – 7
A name that has cropped up in United recruitment meetings of late and you can see why with his boundless energy. An under the radar gem in the league.
Evanilson – 8
A constant menace that is rapidly ascending the rankings as one of the Premier League’s very best attackers. He’s not the biggest, nor the quickest, but he’s clever and his movement at times here was magnificent. His goal here to make it 3-0 was absolutely outstanding. Expect a huge bid or two for Evanilson in the summer.
MANAGER: Marco Rose – 8
Has bemoaned his side for not killing games off in second halves and he will have been thrilled that his side, just days removed from the Milan rout, never let up against this hapless United.
SUBS
Ben Gannon-Doak (for Justin Kluivert, 63) – 6
Was busy without setting off fireworks. The game was won at this stage and his role was not to put on a show.
Ryan Christie (for Lewis Cook, 75) – 6
Junior Kroupi (for Evanilson, 87)
Bafode Diakite (for Adam Smith, 87)
