Under Carrick, United have performed with greater consistency than all of their competitors

The Red Devils suffered their first setback with Michael Carrick at the helm against Newcastle United earlier this month, but refused to let that turn into more when they hosted Aston Villa last weekend.

Carrick’s side dazzled in spurts and eventually coasted to a 3–1 victory, having been pegged back in the second half by a Ross Barkley equalizer. Third-place United now have a three-point buffer over the Villans and can move to within touching distance of Manchester City with a win on Friday.

However, they’re facing off against a Bournemouth team that’s proven to be mightily tough to beat in 2026. Andoni Iraola’s side are currently on a 10-game unbeaten run, but four draws in succession means they haven’t yet made a significant push towards European qualification.

A win here would certainly embolden their chances, with the Cherries currently just four points adrift of seventh-place Brentford.

These two played out one of the games of the season in the reverse fixture before Christmas: a 4–4 draw at Old Trafford that was overseen by Ruben Amorim.

It was crucial that United immediately bounced back from their Newcastle defeat and the win over Villa leaves them in a commanding position for Champions League football next season.

They’re now looking up, not down. They have a six-point buffer on Chelsea in sixth, and are just four points behind their second-place Manchester rivals. Under Carrick, United have performed with greater consistency than all of their competitors, and should get a top-three Premier League finish.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have enjoyed many of their recent outings with the Red Devils, but rarely have they encountered a United team performing with their current clarity and cohesion. The Cherries can punch above their weight, but an inability to turn draws into wins as of late has seen their season stall

• Man Utd’s record at Bournemouth: While Andoni Iraola‘s side have produced a couple of statement wins at Old Trafford in recent years, the Spaniard has never overseen a home win against the Red Devils. In fact, Bournemouth have beaten United just twice at the Vitality Stadium in Premier League history, and most recently in 2019.