United left red-faced after Cherries crushing
Manchester United suffered a woeful 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth as Ruben Amorim's mixed start in charge at Old Trafford continued.
United stunned rival Manchester City with a late turnaround to win 2-1 last weekend, but this showing was more in keeping with Friday's (AEDT) chaotic 4-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup.
Dean Huijsen silenced the home crowd by heading home Ryan Christie's free-kick, his 29th-minute opener exposing United's set-piece frailties again as Andre Onana was left motionless.
Bournemouth continued to look dangerous and found its reward when Justin Kluivert's penalty doubled the lead after 61 minutes, the forward scoring after winning the spot-kick for Noussair Mazraoui's foul.
Antoine Semenyo slotted in a well-taken third just two minutes later, racing towards the penalty spot before firing a low left-footed effort past Onana from Dango Ouattara's cutback pass.
This win lifts high-flying Bournemouth to fifth on the table and just three points adrift of the top four, while United's struggles leave it 13th and in the bottom half of the table at Christmas for the first time since the 1989-1990 campaign.
Amorim urged his side to focus on what it can control, rather than the discontent inside Old Trafford that greeted the players after this hammering.
"It's hard to push for two, three wins and we are trying," Amorim said.
"This game was hard on us. We suffered again on set-pieces and we were a bit nervous, I felt it in the stadium.
"The penalty and another goal are really hard here. We tried to score some goals but it was a tough match so let's move on.
"If you look at the game, we were not conceding anything before the first goal, we had opportunities. If we manage to score the first goal then the game should be different. We want to score but we are too nervous. We have to fight this.
"After the penalty, we need to control the game better because we know this situation is really hard. We have to control better this moment.
"We have to focus on the job and not what you feel in the stadium. It's the only way I know how to focus my players. We have to suffer again but we will try to win. We will do it until the end."
Defensive issues remain aplenty for United, but the same cannot be said for Andoni Iraola's battling Cherries.
"It's an important win for us," Iraola said. "We won 3-0 but it was more difficult than it looks when you see 3-0. I think we've been quite solid, it was a mature performance.
"Kepa [Arrizabalaga]'s performance has helped us this year. He has been very good in possession and with positions. I think he is confident and in a very young defensive line, we need players with experience.
"I am happy that we were more clinical. We scored from a set play. I think it was a solid performance. Not amazing, but it was solid.
"I value the 28 points. I think the amount of points we have is good. At Christmas, it is a good amount."
