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Bournemouth take on Manchester United on Saturday afternoon in a match that will no doubt be played in a party atmosphere on the South Coast. The Cherries have upset all odds this season by surviving the drop, with many pundits writing them off before a ball had been kicked this season.
With survival guaranteed, they will go into this one free-spirited and looking to send their fans away even happier as they look forward to more Premier League action next season. Manchester United, on the other hand, still have plenty to play for as we enter the final few weeks of the football season.
The Red Devils need two more wins to secure Champions League football next season but their away form has been poor all season which will concern their fans ahead of this one. If they fail to beat Bournemouth on Saturday then they will need to win their remaining two home games against Chelsea and Fulham if they are to play in the Champions League next season.
Aside from Champions League qualification, Erik Ten Hag will be desperate for his team to pick up some form over their final three games of the season so they can carry momentum into the blockbuster FA Cup final against Manchester City at the start of June.
Bournemouth vs Manchester United is set to kick off at 15:00 UK time but isn’t being televised in the United Kingdom.
Bournemouth Team News: Semenyo ruled out for the season
Bournemouth manager, Gary O’Neil, has confirmed that Antoine Semenyo will miss the rest of the season alongside Marcus Tavernier, Ryan Fredericks and Junior Stanislas. He has also ruled out Hamed Traore for the game against Manchester United although hasn’t ruled out the Ivorian making an appearance next weekend.
B'MOUTH | Ryan Fredericks (calf), Junior Stanislas (back), Marcus Tavernier (hamstring) and Antoine Semenyo (shin) remain out, with the latter undergoing surgery this week.
Further word is awaited on Hamed Traore (foot).#FPL | #AFCB 🍒 pic.twitter.com/sxCkkosOBD
— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) May 19, 2023
Earlier in the week, Bournemouth confirmed that they had signed Traore on a permanent deal after initially signing him on loan in January. The midfielder has suffered a few injury problems this season but has shown enough in the games he has played for the club to commit to paying over £20m for his services. Speaking about him in his pre-match press conference, O’Neil said:
“Traore has had some injuries this season and even when he arrived I think his first game was Brighton and struggled after 55 minutes physically pace-wise. I am looking forward to having him with us and working with him over the summer to improve his fitness levels.”
Up front, Kieffer Moore will once again be available for selection after recovering from a concussion and he could even be given a start after a series of poor performances from Dominic Solanke.
Manchester United Team News: Further Rashford concerns for Erik Ten Hag
The big news coming out of the Manchester United camp ahead of the game with Bournemouth is that Marcus Rashford is once again a doubt. The forward missed the win over Wolves with a leg injury and although he returned to training this week has since fallen ill. Talking about Rashford’s availability, Ten Hag said:
“Rashy trained the whole week but today he reported he doesn’t feel well, so he’s ill. We have to see how he recovers during the day and see tomorrow.”
🚨 BREAKING!
Marcus Rashford is a doubt for #MUFC's trip to Bournemouth tomorrow. The striker trained all week but has reported ill today, Ten Hag confirms. ✅
— UtdPlug (@UtdPlug) May 19, 2023
In other news, Marcel Sabitzer has been ruled out for the season, joining Donny van de Beek and Lisandro Martinez as United players who won’t play again until next season. For Sabitzer, the situation is slightly different as he is only on loan at the club so he may well have played his final match in a United shirt.
In more positive news, Raphael Varane came through his return against Wolves with no fresh concerns meaning he will almost certainly start at the heart of the United defence. Meanwhile, Scott Mctominay has also returned to training following a five-week lay off and is available for selection.
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