Kroupi enjoys last laugh in thrilling seesaw contest

From near-total control to collapse to late Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha goals that seemed to put Manchester United on the right end of a 4-3 thriller.

- Jamie Jackson

But, then, yet more horrific defending allowed Eli Kroupi, a substitute, to score Bournemouth’s third equaliser and at final whistle the points were shared.

Fernandes’s strike was a pinpoint curled free-kick on 77 minutes, Cunha’s finish came 120 seconds later when Benjamin Sesko’s cross from the left hit Adrien Truffert and diverted into his path.

Before the two goals United were heading for Aston Villa in a foul mood and staring at a miserable Christmas Day if another defeat followed. Instead, despite Kroupi’s intervention, a single defeat in 10 games is arun of form that tells of United’s upward trajectory under Ruben Amorim, though their defending is amateurish.

Twelve minutes in and United came alive. Amad Diallo began and finished the move. From the right he pinged the ball to Casemiro who relayed it to Diogo Dalot along the left.