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regular-article-logo Saturday, 27 April 2024

Premier League: Manchester United beat Bournemouth to close on Champions League spot

United moved to 69 points in fourth place in the table, behind Newcastle United on goal difference

Reuters Bournemouth Published 21.05.23, 05:28 AM
Christian Eriksen.

Christian Eriksen. File photo

Midfielder Casemiro scored a brilliant acrobatic volley to give Manchester United a 1-0 Premier League win at Bournemouth on Saturday that took them closer to Champions League football next season.

United moved to 69 points in fourth place in the table, behind Newcastle United on goal difference. They now need one point from home games against Chelsea and Fulham to seal a return to European club football’s most prestigious competition.

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The visitors dominated the opening exchanges and went ahead in the ninth minute when Cherries defender Marcos Sensesi tried to hook away a Christian Eriksen pass behind the defence, but only succeeded in teeing up Casemiro for a brilliant spinning volley.

The home side found their feet midway through the first half as Dominic Solanke controlled a long ball into the box and unleashed a shot that David De Gea had to dive to his left to save.

That sparked a positive spell for Bournemouth, with Victor Lindelof forced into a number of defensive headers, but they were soon on the back foot again as United took control again in the second half.

The visitors had plenty of chances without adding another goal and were almost made to pay when substitute Kieffer Moore and Senesi both went close late on.

Spurs fail again

Brentford shrugged off an eight-month ban imposed on striker Ivan Toney as Bryan Mbeumo scored twice in a 3-1 win at Tottenham in their penultimate league game of an impressive season.

Harry Kane’s 28th league goal of the campaign, a stunning free-kick, put the hosts ahead and they dominated before half-time in their last home game of the season.

But eighth-placed Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for Europe suffered yet another blow after the break as Cameroonian forward Mbeumo dispatched two clinical left-foot finishes to turn the game on its head in the space of 12 minutes.

It prompted home chants against chairman Daniel Levy, who admitted in his programme notes it had been an “immensely difficult season” for the club and the volume increased when Yoane Wissa wrapped it up for Brentford in the 88th minute.

It was Tottenham’s 14th defeat of the season and they face a crucial summer ahead to halt a worrying decline.

“We’ve got a massive game against Leeds but there will be massive decisions to make,” Tottenham stand-in manager Ryan Mason said.

For Thomas Frank’s ninth-place Brentford, a top-half finish is assured and they even have an outside chance of sneaking above Tottenham and qualifying for Europe. Tottenham have 57 points from 37 games.

Toney was banned this week for more than 200 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.

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