United will need their A-game to stop trip to Cherries going sour

THIS week, Newcastle must attempt to survive the B-test twice in a matter of a few days.

- JOHNGIBSON

From Barcelona to Bournemouth seems like royalty to reality, but then it must be said that those who reside on the far south coast are punching way above their weight for a Premier League football club restricted to an 11,000-capacity home.

There is no greater achievement than performing beyond natural expectations and financial restrictions. Bournemouth do exactly that and now United must face that reality and its challenge.

The Cherries aren’t ripe for the picking. They have flown out of the traps with a nine-point return - three wins out of four - that warns ‘don’t underestimate us’ Do, and you will end up with a bloody nose.

Their points total is as good as that of Arsenal and Spurs, who they beat 1-0 at their place. Better than Chelsea and four points better than ours. ’Nuff said.

Until the implications of Barca are digested and dissected we don't know how United will go into battle. Except that it will be without Anthony Gordon yet again, thankfully the last of his three-match PL suspension.

The supreme test is that our opponents have had a week off while United are staggering from Wolves to Barcelona to Bournemouth all within eight days.

We always knew that was what Champions League qualification would mean, which is why the squad has been beefed up - though injuries to new signings Yoane Wissa and Jacob Ramsey have somewhat depleted the impact of new blood.