Manchester United broke a 35-year-old unwanted record and fell to a new low after losing 3-0 to Bournemouth.

Manchester United suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth on December 22, marking a disappointing performance for the club. This loss means the Red Devils will spend Christmas Day in the bottom half of the Premier League table for the first time in 35 years. Currently sitting in 13th place with only 22 points from 17 matches, United’s struggles this season have been evident, particularly in defense.

The defeat comes after a mixed week for Manchester United, where they had previously defeated Manchester City 2-1 on December 15 but then lost 3-4 to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup on December 19. Sunday’s loss against Bournemouth repeated a result from the previous season, as the Cherries also managed to score three goals in a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford in December 2023.

Bournemouth’s first goal came in the 29th minute from Dean Huijsen, capitalizing on United’s defensive fragility at set pieces. The Cherries continued their dominance in the second half, with Justin Kluivert converting a penalty in the 61st minute. Just two minutes later, Antoine Semenyo sealed the win with a third goal for Bournemouth in the 63rd minute.

United’s defensive woes have been a recurring issue, having conceded 22 goals in the Premier League this season, including four occasions where they conceded three or more goals at home. Their struggles with set-piece defense have also been notable, with 17 goals conceded from set pieces, their most since 1992.

With the team now nine points outside the top four, Ruben Amorim’s side will look to improve when they face Wolves on Boxing Day.