Manchester United filled their boots with five goals as they staged an impressive comeback against Bournemouth. 

Mason Greenwood scored twice and his strike partners Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford also got on the scoresheet with Bruno Fernandes getting a fifth; but the game was not without its issues.

The straightforward wins are all well and good and maybe an answer to this point in their own right, but there did nonetheless remain the question what this United team could do when faced with adversity.

They did enough to get a point against Tottenham from a game in which they were the better team. Today there was a brief question mark, long enough for you to mention Burnley’s visit in January and for that to make you wonder.

United’s sole foray to goal prior to the Cherries having a moment of joy was Bruno Fernandes’ poor lobbed finish from a fine Rashford pass. 

But five minutes after that, Eddie Howe’s team took the lead. Junior Stanislas had the temerity to nutmeg Harry Maguire and then beat David De Gea at his near post – making fools of two of United’s better defensive components. No goal is conceded without some defensive imperfection (well, few are) but this was not a good one to concede. Still, Maguire’s performances have earned him a let-off, and De Gea’s case has been argued from below-par performances from Dean Henderson and Sergio Romero.

So, what of United’s ability to respond before half-time? Question marks have been asked of these players but they stood up and gave a resounding answer. 

First of all Mason Greenwood levelled just before the half-hour; a stylish smashed finish after a toe-poked assist from Fernandes. Bournemouth were lucky to retain their full complement when Lerma was only booked for a desperately high lunge on Martial. But they received full punishment two minutes later when Adam Smith handballed in the box.

Fernandes has taken all of the recent spot-kicks but this was given to Rashford to get back in the goals. Some may feel after switching takers already this season, this was an unnecessary move, but in this writer’s opinion it was a nice show of unity. Rashford needed the goal for his confidence.

One player who didn’t need any help in that regard was Anthony Martial. Yes, his performances since the Sheffield United hat-trick have been mixed to say the least, but back on home territory he had fun again, scoring a sensational curled effort just before half-time to secure the points.

This was a fine statement of personality from this United team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. A settled team – the first time in almost 14 years a side has been unchanged for United in three consecutive league games – has been notable by its absence in recent years. 

The lack of cohesion has undermined any chances of success. It’s not perfect, but the consistency of selection is a huge factor in Solskjaer’s favour. And the ability to hit back and take complete control of the game before half-time was a big thumbs up for the players as well.

Just as well, because the second half started in catastrophic fashion. Eric Bailly came on for Victor Lindelof at the break and had a shaky start – Mike Dean awarded  a penalty for the visitors when Matic’s wayward ball struck Bailly on the shoulder just on the line of the box. Bournemouth had already hit the post before Josh King despatched that spot-kick – and two minutes later, King played in Danjuma, who put the ball in the net but was denied an equaliser by the offside flag.

United, though, responded fantastically – led by Greenwood, who danced across the defence and finished with his right foot in to the top corner. The goal was reminiscent of Andrei Kanchelskis’ against Oldham in 1994. Five minutes later Fernandes got his goal, from a fine free-kick. United were rampant.

The goals stopped, although the action did not. The substitutes came on but United continued to search for more. This insatiable attitude from a team in form may well do a lot in the short term to help the long term.

Selection

This is Solskjaer’s go-to team at the moment. He might have been tempted to freshen it up but clearly his message to his players is that he expects them to be as clinical as he is in terms of taking it seriously. They were.

Where to improve

Of course we can look at the individual mistakes and point fingers. We can say a left-back here and another centre-half there might improve things.

But let us also give credit where it is due to a squad and a manager who have faced criticism for a long time.

That they are playing well is great. That they are scoring, scoring often and scoring such fantastic goals is even better. But it is just as much the Manchester United way to be able to compensate for the weaknesses by simply outscoring the opposition. No team is perfect. But United, in the not-so-distant-past, have had such a complex about their imperfections that the slightest setbacks have created huge confidence dents. No more, it seems. 

Make no mistake, it is as risky for Solskjaer to have loaded his team with five purely attacking players as it was pragmatic for Jose Mourinho to loaded his with eight defensive ones.

Can it hold out against the best teams in the league? Well, we still don’t know. But you can only take the games as they come. And at the moment we can’t wait to watch our team again.

Ratings :

De Gea 5

Wan-Bissaka 7

Lindelof 6

Maguire 7

Shaw 7

Matic 7

Pogba 7

Fernandes 8

Greenwood 9

Rashford 7

Martial 7

Subs :

Fred 7

James

Mata

Ighalo