Man United v Bournemouth live: Reaction from eight-goal Premier League thriller on dramatic night at Old Trafford

Here’s Richard Jolly’s report from Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim’s shift in formation brought his team’s best attacking display in months - the problem was at the other end, and that his side still cannot win games

Bournemouth’s winless run now stands at seven games, but coming on the back of last week’s goalless draw with Chelsea, this was another night to give encouragement to Andoni Iraola.

“Normally when it’s 4-4 they say the managers don’t like these kinds of games because it’s a lot of mistakes but also it’s one point for us,” he said. “Maybe it’s not a lot but we also enjoyed the game because we’ve come from behind…

“It’s for both teams, (because) also they go behind and they’ve reacted. We have gone behind more, but both teams were quite open. We were taking risks from the beginning and leaving space behind. You never expect this type of game but it can happen.

“For us it is not a lot, one point, I feel like from Chelsea and United, two good performances and two points is not a lot but I think we can use a lot of things to try to get the three points in the next one.”

“It was a fun game for everyone at home,” Amorim said. “If you look at the game you can think we lost the two points in the second half. I think we lost the two points in the first half. I think we should have more goals, we should have a different result at half-time.

“It was then similar to Nottingham (Forest, a 2-2 draw in November) where we suffered two goals really fast but we managed to get back to take the advantage and then we need to close the game out.”

The visitors were comfortably second best in the first half as they were overrun before an excellent chance for Tavernier gave them something to build on. But having deservedly trailed at the break, they began the second half on fire to stun Old Trafford by snatching the lead. Bournemouth travelled north without a win in six games - a run that had seen them go from second place after their 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on October 26 to 15th at kick-off, and without a goal in their last two outings. But last week's goalless draw with Chelsea was seen as a confidence-builder and they played the second half like a team convinced they could win. Brooks should have seen them do so but was twice denied by Senne Lammens.

The shift at the back was partly enforced. With Noussair Mazraoui already away at the Africa Cup of Nations and Matthijs De Ligt and Harry Maguire both injured, United had the 20-year-old Leny Yoro and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven in an inexperienced defence. Even at full strength, United have only kept one clean sheet all season - only Wolves have fewer with none - so that was always going to be a worry and it is one that Bournemouth were able to expose once they overcame a slow start. Even so, the manner in which United were twice carved open so easily at the start of the second half was startling, as was their inability to shut down the game, having worked so hard to regain the lead late on.

It was more evolution than revolution but there were definitely tweaks to Ruben Amorim's much-discussed system. Though they initially lined up with the usual back three, it became a back four whenever Bournemouth were in possession as Diogo Dalot dropped back.

It certainly worked going forward as United put in one of the better first-half displays of the season - their six shots inside the opening 10 minutes were their most in a Premier League game in more than three years - and they had had 12 attempts at goal before Bournemouth mustered their first in the 29th minute. They would rue their failure to finish off a Cherries side who initially looked unnerved by what they faced.

Kobbie Mainoo’s brother wore a t-shirt displaying the message ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ to Old Trafford during Manchester United’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth in a clear message to head coach Ruben Amorim amid the uncertainty over the player’s future.

Mainoo has struggled for game time under Amorim and has yet to start a match in the Premier League this season after the midfielder’s loan request was rejected in August.

The 20-year-old academy product, who scored the winning goal for United in the 2024 FA Cup final and started for England in the Euro 2024 final, was loudly cheered onto the pitch when he was brought on by Amorim as a second-half substitute on Monday night.

On the night Ruben Amorim delivered the surprise of the season by jettisoning his beloved 3-4-3 formation, Manchester United contrived to put part of his new shape in the scoreline. A 4-4 was not a tribute to Amorim’s unexpected switch to 4-4-2 as much as the consequence of an extraordinary evening of frenzied attacking, poor defending and flawed goalkeeping as two sides traded free kicks and comebacks.

Ruben Amorim appeared to deviate from his trusted 3-4-3 for the first time as Manchester United manager as he experimented with a new-look system for the Premier League match against Bournemouth.

At first glance, a chaotic 4-4 draw against Andoni Iraola’s side does not suggest that the tweak brought much improvement. But Amorim’s side were far sharper in attack and were a constant danger throughout the game.

Amorim said before kick-off that United will need to “adapt” when Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui depart for the Africa Cup of Nations and notably said that his team “need to learn from some mistakes we did in the past”.

Critics of the Portuguese head coach have said he has stayed too attached to his 3-4-3 system since replacing Erik ten Hag last November. It was the system he used to great success at his previous club Sporting Lisbon but it has been ineffective so far at Old Trafford.

Amorim joked in September that not even the Pope could persuade him to change his formation. "This is my job. This is my responsibility. This is my life. So, I will not change that,” he said.

Fair to stay Andoni Iraola was happier with his side’s attacking than defending during this 4-4 draw at Old Trafford.

"I suppose it was entertaining for everyone. Two teams that attacked much better than we defended. We played quite open, both teams,” he told BBC Sport.

"We struggled in the first 15-20 minutes. We made some adjustments but we were losing 1-0. From there I was quite happy with how the game was.

"The last two were massive chances, great saves from Lammens. We take a point. We can use a lot of good things from today but things to correct."