Manchester United v Bournemouth: Preview, predicted line-ups & team news

Manchester United have a draw problem. They have shared the spoils in four of their last seven league games, most recently a 1-1 at Leeds on 18 October, and they head into Sunday's game at Old Trafford 13th in the table.

The frustration is that they are creating chances. United average 19.71 shots a game over that run and an expected goals figure of 1.63, yet they have scored 10 and conceded 10 in seven matches. A 5-2 win over Ipswich on 30 August remains their only league victory.

Bournemouth are the visitors, and they are not in a much better place. They beat Sunderland 2-0 last weekend, but that came a week after a 5-1 defeat at Chelsea.

United have not lost since a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford on 13 September. Since then they have drawn at Fulham, drawn with Tottenham at home and drawn at Leeds. They have scored once in each of those three games.

The defensive record is the concern. United have conceded 10 goals in seven games, 1.43 a match, and have failed to keep a clean sheet. Their 4-2-3-1 has been steady in shape but loose in the final 15 minutes, with four of the 10 goals they have let in coming between the 76th and 90th minutes.

Bournemouth sit 15th on six points, level with 18th-placed Coventry and ahead only on goal difference. They have one win, three draws and three defeats from seven.

Their problem is on the road. They have taken one point from three away games and conceded nine, an average of 3.0 a match. At home they have let in just four in four. They did produce an expected goals figure of 1.79 per game across their last seven, which suggests the goals are coming, even if the results have lagged behind. Win at Old Trafford and they would move above United on goal difference or points, depending on other results.

United's last seven league games read one win, four draws and two defeats. Bournemouth's read one win, three draws and three defeats. Neither side is in good shape, but United have lost only twice in that run while Bournemouth have lost three times and shipped 13 goals to United's 10. The surface form flatters neither. United's draws have mostly been games they should have won on chance quality, while Bournemouth's 5-1 loss at Chelsea sits awkwardly beside a 2-0 home win a week later. Home advantage, and the fact that United have not lost in the league for six games, gives the hosts a slight edge.

United are 13th with seven points from seven games and a goal difference of zero. They are 14 points behind leaders Manchester City, six behind fourth-placed Chelsea (who have also played seven) and only a point clear of 15th-placed Bournemouth.

Bournemouth have six points from seven and a goal difference of minus four. The bottom three, Coventry, Fulham and Sunderland, have six, five and four points respectively. A win lifts United into the top half's contention and takes them to 10 points, level with the sides in sixth to ninth. A defeat would leave them level on points with the visitors and dragged into the congested bottom half. For Bournemouth, a point would keep them clear of the relegation places on goal difference. Three would be a big result away from home.

Across the last 10 meetings United have four wins, there have been four draws and Bournemouth have two wins. The average is 4.0 goals per game. Both teams have scored in six of the 10 (60%) and eight of them (80%) have gone over 2.5 goals. The most recent was a 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium on 20 March 2026, three months after a 4-4 draw at Old Trafford on 15 December 2025.

The pattern points towards goals. The recent head-to-head record is open and high-scoring, and the correct score market leans towards 2-1 or 2-2 type results. The caveat is that both sides have been low-scoring this season: United have gone over 2.5 goals in just one of seven league games, and Bournemouth in none of their seven by their own season tally. The two teams' defensive records suggest the H2H pattern of goals is more likely to repeat than the attack numbers suggest.

United take far more shots. They average 19.71 a game to Bournemouth's 15.14, and 5.0 on target, with 55.4% possession against 50.4%. They also win more corners, 6.14 a game against 4.71 for Bournemouth, who concede 3.86.

Bournemouth's edge is in expected goals (1.79 against 1.63), but their defensive numbers are worse: 1.86 goals conceded a game against 1.43, and an expected goals against figure of 1.17 for the visitors that suggests their results are not wholly down to bad luck. United will have the ball. The question is whether they turn pressure into goals against a side that has been breached repeatedly away from home.

Both sides usually play a 4-2-3-1. United are without five players and have four doubts, so the defence and midfield will carry a few selection calls. Bournemouth could have to patch up their defence without their injured defender.

Manchester United: Lammens; Dalot, de Ligt, Yoro, Mazraoui; Tielemans, Andrey Santos; Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Cunha; Zirkzee

The game kicks off at 14:00 GMT on Sunday 25 October, after the clocks go back in the UK. It is shown on Sky Sports where selected. A specific channel has not been confirmed, and this page will be updated closer to kick-off.

The value sits in goals at both ends. Manchester United have conceded in all seven league games, Bournemouth have scored in six of seven, and eight of the last 10 meetings went over 2.5 goals. The bet builder leans on United winning at 11/9 with Bournemouth in the game.