UNITED REBOURN
Pogba 5, 33, Rashford 45, Lukaku 72, DE GEA
Saved Ake’s shot with his shoulder although he knew little about it YOUNG Booked
Returned as captain and had a hand in United’s opening two goals BAILLY Sent off
Took physical approach too far and was dismissed for scything down Fraser
LINDELOF
Was comfortable in possession, but struggled up against Ake’s aerial power
SHAW
Raided forward down the left and is clearly enjoying playing under Solskjaer
HERRERA Booked
Delivered a superb cross for Pogba to head home his second goal MATIC
Played a tremendous through-ball to Martial in the build-up to the third POGBA
Complete box-to-box display from Frenchman, capped by his double LINGARD
Was bright for United on the right without getting in on the goalscoring action
RASHFORD
Superb assist for Pogba’s opener and fully deserved to score the third MARTIAL
Sparkled and created Rashford’s goal with a pass with the outside of his right foot SUBS LUKAKU (Rashford 70) PEREIRA (Herrera 75)
JONES (Martial 82) MOTM Did not really get anywhere near any of United’s four goals
COOK
Struggled to cope with the pace and trickery of Martial on his flank AKE
Beaten for the first goal, but headed home Bournemouth’s consolation effort
DANIELS
Had a tough afternoon trying to stem United’s relentless attacks IBE
Some nice touches, but did not have enough influence on the game SURMAN
The Cherries skipper was totally eclipsed by Pogba in the middle BROOKS
One of Bournemouth’s few attacking highlights and crossed for Ake’s goal RICO
Skinned by Rashford for the first goal, struggled to make an impact STANISLAS
Did not have as much effect on the game as he would have wanted WILSON
Had a tough time and was starved of service up front leading the line KING
Threatening moments against his old club, but that was about it SUBS
MOUSSET (Brooks 66)
FRASER (Wilson 66)
MINGS (Ake 82) THE longer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer manages Manchester United, the worse Jose Mourinho’s previous reign looks.
Solskjaer has been at Old Trafford less than two weeks, but became King Midas in the blink of an eye.
All he touches seems to turn to gold after masterminding three wins in three games with United scoring 12 goals.
Superstars like Paul Pogba, who netted twice here in a brilliant performance, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial appear reborn and have helped United produce a brand of football supporters demand, but were starved of with Mourinho in charge.
Solskjaer (above) has even managed to get Romelu Lukaku scoring again, with the Belgium misfit finding the back of the net less than two minutes after going on as a substitute.
Even Eric Bailly’s red card 12 minutes from time for a mindless scissor challenge on Cherries substitute Ryan Fraser did not take much shine off a wonderful afternoon. There will Ake 45+2 be much sterner tests, but this Christmas Solskjaer appears to have given long-suffering fans their club back.
The Norwegian scored three hat-tricks in his glittering career at United, but this one is the most significant of all considering he becomes just the third United boss in history to win his first three games in charge. Not even the great Sir Alex Ferguson managed this. But there are two sides to every story and the one unfolding at Bournemouth makes grim reading.
Eddie Howe’s men are in freefall following nine defeats in their last 11 outings.
Nathan Ake pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time, but the visitors were already 3-0 down.
The Cherries remain clear of the relegation zone, but unless Howe can arrest this slide fast they face a desperate scrap to beat the drop.
United, however, are riding a wave of nostalgia and euphoria under Solskjaer – and it swamped the visitors.
Solskjaer made four changes, including the return of Martial, to the side that beat Huddersfield on Boxing Day. Ashley Young, Ander Herrera and Bailly also came back while Lukaku started on the bench after compassionate leave.
The Cherries made three changes and were without club captain Simon Francis, ruled out for up to nine months with ruptured knee ligaments.
He joined Lewis Cook, Dan Gosling and Adam Smith on the sidelines. To make matters worse, Bournemouth had never won at Old Trafford as they strived to avoid a club-record fifth successive league defeat on the road.
But it was never going to happen once Pogba (right) put United ahead inside five minutes. Rashford showed a glimpse of his gifts by skinning both Ake and Diego Rico on the byline before crossing for Pogba, who slid in to convert from close range.
“What a goal,” mouthed the Norwegian on the sidelines. And it was just the start of a scintillating first half reminiscent of the football United produced under Fergie.
Pogba, revelling in a free role behind Rashford, went close along with Rashford and Martial.
It was only a matter of time before United doubled their lead and the second arrived on 33 minutes when Pogba rose above the advancing Asmir Begovic to head home
Herrera’s cross.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors on
45 minutes when
Rashford met Martial’s cross to make it 3-0. But despite all the progress United have made since Solskjaer’s arrival, they still seem incapable of keeping clean sheets and Ake pulled one back in first-half stoppage time.
It meant Solskjaer’s halftime tea did not taste quite as sweet, but this result was never in doubt. Begovic denied Rashford before Pogba set-up Lukaku to make it 4-1 with one of his first touches on 72 minutes. A post denied Pogba his first career hat-trick, but nothing could stop him smiling as he and United finished 2018 on a high no one would have envisaged had Mourinho been running the show.