It is three months since Manchester United were crushed 6-3 in the derby yet, slowly but surely, they have regrouped and are now breathing down their neighbour’s neck.
A fourth successive Premier League victory moved United to within a point of Manchester City and increased the pressure on the champions ahead of their visit to Chelsea on Thursday before the teams face each other in the second derby instalment at Old Trafford on Saturday week.
Win that and then beat leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium the following Sunday and a season that seemed to be all about trying to reclaim a place in the Champions League could suddenly be given extra impetus and raise hopes of an outside title bid.
It would have been an outlandish thought a while back but United have been quietly building a head of steam, key players are hitting form, the one disruptive presence, Cristiano Ronaldo, is gone, confidence is high and they have not conceded a goal at Old Trafford in the league since early September. Erik ten Hag was continuing to urge caution.
“That’s a big step – we have to go from game to game but the belief is growing and that’s a good signal but we have to give every game 100 per cent energy and focus and if you keep in that philosophy it’s possible [a title bid] but don’t think too far ahead,” the United manager said.
Ten Hag was not entirely happy with what he saw against Bournemouth, insisting they “could have been smarter” and should have kept the ball better at times and the manager will doubtless be highlighting those issues ahead of the City and Arsenal games.
United, after all, were indebted to some good saves from another in-form player, goalkeeper David De Gea, for frustrating Bournemouth, who have lost seven of their past eight league matches but were better here than the scoreline suggested. They could not live with United as an attacking force, though.
Marcus Rashford continued his fine form here with a fourth goal in as many games but United’s stand-out performers were their other two scorers, Casemiro and Luke Shaw, who excelled back in his familiar left back position after deputising at centre-half for the past two matches. Ten Hag could even afford to start with his two World Cup finalist defenders, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, on the bench and give Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof a run out.
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