Bournemouth 2, Man Utd 2: Harry Maguire Shown Red as Controversial No-Call Leaves Red Devils Frustrated in Thrilling Stalemate

A TENTH game in charge of Manchester United for Michael Carrick but not a perfect tenth.

This descended into a chaotic contest reminiscent of United’s kamikaze 4-4 draw with Bournemouth under Ruben Amorim three months ago.

Junior Kroupi makes it 2-2 from 12 yardsCredit: Getty Harry Maguire was sent off for bringing down Evanilson in the boxCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

Twice United let leads slip and Harry Maguire ruined the day his 18-month England exile was ended.

Maguire was sent off for the first time since November 2021 to gift Bournemouth a penalty and a man advantage.

Lightning struck twice as Junior Krupi equalised for the second time against United this season.

Maguire is also on the verge of signing a new United contract but they continue to struggle to keep their sheets clean.

United have conceded a whopping 42 goals in 31 league games and they will be without their Yorkshiremen against Leeds next month.

This was a rare poor night for Carrick, who failed to plug the gaps after United regained their advantage in the 71st minute.

United now have an inordinate three-week wait until their next fixture against Leeds United at Old Trafford.

But in this erratic Premier League season, there is every chance United will resume their campaign still third in the table.

Even with Champions League qualification far from being boxed off with seven games left, there could be a complete absence of jeopardy about United’s run-in.

Andoni Iraola, an outside bet for the United job, already has a potential exit route out of Bournemouth when his contract expires in the summer.

Athletic Bilbao, the club Iraola captained to victory against United in 2012, confirmed that head coach Ernesto Valverde will step down at the end of the season.

Unchanged teams have been a hallmark of Carrick’s tenure and Benjamin Sesko had to settle for a bench berth again.

For the eighth game running, United failed to score in the first half from open play. Some of their approach play was crying out for Sesko.

Seven of United’s starters have lined up in all ten of Carrick’s games in charge. Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, two of the ever-presents, had an early back-and-forth after a careless punt by the Brazilian.

Amad, who had not scored since the reverse fixture, lined up a fine fifth-minute opening but shot straight at Dorde Petrovic.

Bournemouth broke instantly, Rayan outpaced Luke Shaw down the right-hand flank but he pulled his shot well wide.

Bruno Fernandes fires Man Utd in front from the penalty spotCredit: Getty Man Utd skipper Fernandes performs a knee slide after opening the scoringCredit: Reuters

Matheus Cunha was more accurate with a drilled near-post strike that Petrovic repelled on 11 minutes.

Fernandes was still yapping as he expressed his dissatisfaction with Carrick over something. The United coach shrugged his shoulders and Fernandes quickly tested Pterovic’s reflexes and winning a corner on the counter.

Cunha’s curler from a Fernandes lay-off looked to be goalbound until it was blocked. Rayan was Bournemouth’s outlet again and he inventively attempted to catch Senne Lammens out at his near post.

Carrick had already collared Lammens and then instructed Luke Shaw to move higher up the pitch at a goal kick. It was time to go long.

It was Adrien Truffert’s turn to deny Amad from ten yards on 26 minutes after Cunha’s cute cross bounced through to the far post.

Fernandes seemed certain to end United’s wait for a breakthrough when he connected with Diogo Dalot’s cross yet Petrovic agilely jutted out his leg to halt the ball.

Bryan Mbeumo, the scorer of United’s last open-play effort in the first 45, was off the pace again.

Ryan Christie levels the contest for BournemouthCredit: PA Christie celebrates his Cherries levellerCredit: Reuters

Fellow left-footer Shaw was on uncharacteristically sloppy form hours after his chances of appearing at a third World Cup were effectively ended by Thomas Tuchel.

Bournemouth, with one goal in their last four, struggled to truly test Lammens. Marcus Tarvernier’s late first-half free kick beat the wall but flew into the Belgian’s arms.

Carrick resisted a half-time switch and Mbeumo ran onto Cunha’s threaded pass inside the first minutes yet slipped as he bore down on Petrovic.

The second half was five minutes old when Carrick told Sesko to head out for a warm-up.

Cunha clipped another fine delivery on 58 minutes and United lacked a suitable figurehead to get on the end of it.

Cunha took matters into his own hands to force the error from Jimenez, gifting Fernandes his shot to break the deadlock just past the hour.

Fernandes will not lift silverware this season but he is lifting United back into the Champions League for next season.

His eighth goal of the campaign at Bournemouth – and fourth from the penalty spot – put United ahead.

James Hill inadvertently turns into his own netCredit: PA Man Utd stars celebrate going 2-1 in front via Hill’s own goalCredit: PA

United asked for a second spotkick in the 67th minute when Truffert put his hands on Amad. Bournemouth broke and Ryan Christie slotted tidily to equalise for Bournemouth’s first goal in three games.

The hosts were undone by another Fernandes set piece that bounced in off James Hill.

The stadium announcer inaccurately credited Maguire, who brought cheer to the natives seven minutes later with his tug on Evanilson.

Kroupi converted.