Man United failing at the basics & Chelsea's learning day - EPL hits and misses

Man Utd can't even do the basics right

Perhaps nothing summed up the state of Manchester United, conceding their seventh loss of the Premier League campaign, more than opposition head coach Andoni Iraola. "We were solid - not amazing," the Bournemouth boss summarised. A damning indictment. No longer do you have to be amazing to triumph at Old Trafford, merely solid.

Only Southampton (5) have conceded three-plus goals in more home games this season than Man Utd's four, and Saints sit rock bottom of the table. So many - too many - statistics can be used to characterise United's mediocrity. It's endless, because flaws are so numerous.

One that will dominate headlines, though, is their pathetic set-piece record, undone again by a simple set-play routine for Bournemouth's easy opener. United have conceded 17 goals from set-pieces in 2024, their most in a single calendar year. Pre-match drills with Ruben Amorim's assistant Carlos Fernandes clearly fell on deaf ears.

As Amorim acknowledged when he took the United job, there were bound to be bumps in the road, but the sheer scale of the task is surely even more daunting than he initially anticipated.

So many fundamentals are failing, and if you can't do the basics, the Premier League is a very unforgiving place to be.
Laura Hunter

Chelsea have to dig in just for a point at Everton

Chelsea have shown their quality this season, sweeping teams away with their slick football, but as the rain swept across Goodison Park in the early stages, it soon became clear this was not going to be that kind of occasion. They had to dig in.

They certainly did that, Robert Sanchez producing one of his best displays of the season, while Tosin Adarabioyo dealt well with Dominic Calvert-Lewin before coming up with his crucial late block. So, was it a point gained or two dropped in the title race?

Even stodgy draws can sometimes be the mark of champions but perhaps this was an afternoon that hinted at the truth to Enzo Maresca's suggestion that such talk comes too soon for his young team. They were unable to get their football going against Everton.

Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho stretched play but Cole Palmer could not dictate as he would have liked and Nicolas Jackson was not clinical when needed. Marc Cucurella was missed, Malo Gusto unable to have much of an impact when in an advanced role.

Perhaps Maresca could have used his squad depth more effectively but that is being really harsh. Everton are tough. And when you cannot win, do not lose. That was the reason why Maresca appeared particularly satisfied by what he has seen at the end.

"The reason why is because I was quite worried about this game. It's a tricky game, tricky stadium, tricky team. The most important thing is that we need to learn to play different kinds of games." You win or you learn. And this was a learning day for Chelsea.
Adam Bate

Iraola's Bournemouth should worry all comers

Lightning doesn't strike twice but Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth do. Their first-ever win at Old Trafford last season was followed up with another, by the same emphatic scoreline, on Sunday.

The Cherries were everything Man Utd weren't. In what was a close game for an hour, they took their chances, looked solid from set-pieces and rarely gave the ball away in dangerous situations. If only their hosts could say the same.

They have looked solid for some while under Iraola and may have pushed for Europe without a tough start to his first season last year. This time, there is no reason why they shouldn't.

"We were solid without being incredible," he said humbly after the game. It keeps the pressure off his players, and is true in many ways.

Bournemouth's quality runs deeper than stunning performances - they are as streetwise as they are good to watch.

Justin Kluivert bought so many fouls out of the Man Utd defence that Craig Pawson might be invoicing Sir Jim Ratcliffe for a new whistle, with two of their three goals coming from set-pieces.

The third showed the level of confidence flowing through the team as Antoine Semenyo pounced two minutes after their second as they sensed an opportunity and took it again.

Fifth at Christmas with Crystal Palace, Fulham and Everton to come next. This could be a very happy new year for Bournemouth.
Ron Walker

Guedes can be key as Wolves bid to climb away from trouble

Goncalo Guedes has had to wait for his chance at Wolves.

He was shipped out on loan to boyhood club Benfica at the start of 2023 - halfway through the first season after his £27.5m move from Valencia - then to Villarreal a year later - and when he was finally integrated into the squad again for this season, he had to make do with late cameos.

However, over the last two months, he has started to show why Wolves paid the money they did for him.

He scored once and provided three assists in Gary O'Neil's final seven Premier League games - but looked invigorated when new Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira put him in from the start against Leicester. He no doubt has a point to prove and a clean slate to work with.

The 28-year-old showed guile to fire in the opener from the tightest of angles after Jannik Vestergaard allowed a ball to bounce in the box, then did so well to twist and turn away from trouble to set up Matheus Cunha for the third.

His goal had an xG value of 0.05, with the assist value just 0.01 xA.

That means he has been directly involved in six goals across his last eight Premier League games after managing just two goal involvements in his first 19 English top-flight appearances.

As Wolves begin a new era, this could be Guedes' time to shine.
Dan Long

Returning Ramsdale gives watching Juric hope of a great escape

Ivan Juric was only confirmed as Russell Martin's replacement as Southampton manager late on Saturday afternoon, but that did not stop the Croat from observing his new charges from the Craven Cottage stands and he will surely have liked what he saw.

The Saints battled their way to a hard-earned and deserved goalless draw in west London, just their second top-flight point on the road this season after restricting an in-form Fulham side to an x G of only 1.04.

All new managers try to build using a solid defensive platform and Juric will have seen enough from his perch high up at the Cottage to think he has the players at the back to give him just a chance of pulling off what would be one of the Premier League's great escape, with Southampton guaranteed to be bottom at Christmas - and we know what that usually means.

And of particular importance to those plans will be Aaron Ramsdale, back in the Saints goal after missing the last five league games with a fractured finger and integral to his team earning a point with a breathtaking reaction stop to keep out Harry Wilson's close-range volley midway through the second half.
Rich Morgan