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By CHRIS WHEELER Published: 01: 01 AEST, 28 April 2025 | Updated: 07: 36 AEST, 28 April 2025 145 View comments As if having to see Liverpool clinch a 20th title wasn’t painful enough for Manchester United, here in the South Coast sunshine was yet more evidence that they won’t be rivalling the old enemy anytime soon. United might have avoided a club record 16th Premier League defeat by the skin of their teeth, but it was hardly the kind of result or performance to fill Ruben Amorim with confidence ahead of Thursday’s crucial Europa League semi-final first leg away to Athletic Bilbao, let alone boast about knocking Liverpool off their perch. ‘We have an ultimate goal that is winning the Premier League, but I’m not crazy, ’ admitted United’s head coach. ‘I know it’s not going to be next year, but we are trying to build something. ‘The first thing is to focus on ourselves and not on the other teams. The next thing is to be really honest. We (Liverpool and United) are on different levels in this moment. But I remember when I started watching the Premier League, it was the opposite so everything can change. ’ United are a million miles away from that level at the moment. Yes, they avoided losing in the Premier League for a third game in a row, but the prospect of that 16th defeat and finishing fourth from bottom could still become a reality over the remaining four league games. At least they have the Europa League to salvage something from this shambles of a season – and it could have been even worse but for an equaliser deep into injury-time from Rasmus Hojlund. Bournemouth deservedly led through a first-half strike from Antoine Semenyo, who showed why he will be on United’s list of striker targets this summer if they fail to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich and are not put off by the Ghanaian’s £70million price tag. Rasmus Hojlund struck deep into injury time to rescue a point for Manchester United Hojlund turned the ball home at the near post to draw his side level late on in the game The striker's instinctive finish saw the points shared at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday Antoine Semenyo gave the home side the lead midway through the first half of the game Bournemouth deservedly led through a first-half strike from Antoine Semenyo, who showed why he will be on United’s list of striker targets this summer if they fail to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich and are not put off by the Ghanaian’s £70million price tag. Andoni Iraola’s excellent side would probably have clinched the victory that made them the sixth club to complete a league double over United this season and lift them back into eighth spot were it not for the sending-off of Evanilson in the 71st minute. There were 95 minutes and 40 seconds on the clock when Luke Shaw crossed low into the penalty box and Manuel Ugarte poked the ball goalwards Hojlund. United’s goal-starved striker had scored just once in 31 hours and four minutes, and maybe this was just the opportunity he needed. Right in front of goal, almost no time to think. Hojlund angled his right foot to steer the ball into the back of the net. ‘Expectations on him are very high and he has to deal with that, ’ said United captain Bruno Fernandes. ‘He knows how much he needs to score goals at this club. ‘If you want to be at a big club like Manchester United, you need to improve every time you step onto the pitch. ’ Amorim will hope that Hojlund isn’t the only one who gets a boost ahead of Bilbao. He named a strong side to sharpen up his players despite the risk of injuries, and just about got away with it. Shaw completed 90 minutes on his first start of the season but Alejandro Garnacho, by far United’s most potent attacking threat before the equaliser, needed treatment after he was caught on the right ankle by Tyler Adams’ studs in the first half. Semenyo lashed home the opener as the home side made a bright start to the match The Red Devils failed to win once again as their poor Premier League form continued  Amroim's men have won just 10 of the 34 top flight matches they have played this season Referee Peter Bankes thought it was only worthy of a caution and VAR official John Brooks agreed. When both Evanilson’s boots connected with Noussair Mazraoui’s upper and lower leg in the second half, Bankes again reached for the yellow card but Brooks differed. This time the referee was sent to the monitor and yellow was upgraded to red. Was it harsh? To be fair to the Brazilian, he appeared to slip but Mazraoui had to go off shortly afterwards. ‘I think he’s okay, ’ said Amorim. ‘He’ll be ready (for Bilbao) but in these kind of situations anything could be a danger and we tried to save that. ’ Until then, Bournemouth had been well on top. They struck in the 23rd minute after Adam Smith punished United for trying to play out from the back by stealing the ball from Patrick Dorgu and fed Evanilson who teed up Semenyo to whip a shot inside Andre Onana’s inside post. Semenyo almost added another and Dango Ouattara rattled the post with a free kick wide on the right that almost caught Onana by surprise. Kepa denied Garnacho with an excellent save but United only carried a real threat once Bournemouth went down to 1-0 men for the final 19 minutes of added time and nine more added on by Bankes. They found a way through in the end but will need to be so much better in Bilbao. BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1):  Kepa 6. 5; Smith 7, Zabarnyi 5. 5, Huijsen 6. 5, Kerkez 6; Scott 6 (Cook 72, 6), Adams 6; Semenyo 7 (Senesi 85), Kluivert 6. 5 (Tavernier 72, 6), Ouattara 7 (Jebbison 90+8); Evanilson.   Subs not used: Dennis, Brooks, Soler, Araujo, Hill. Scorer: Semenyo 23 Sent off: Evanilson Booked: Huijsen, Smith, Adams, Kluivert Manager: Andoni Iraola 6 MAN UTD (4-3-3): Onana 6; Yoro 6. 5, Maguire 6 (Lindelof 66, 6), Shaw 5; Mazraoui 7 (Obi 75, 6), Casemiro 6 (Ugarte 65, 6), Mainoo 6 (Mount 65, 5. 5), Dorgu 5 (Eriksen 90); Fernandes 5. 5, Hojlund 6. 5, Garnacho 7. Subs:   Subs not used: Heaton, Amass, Evans, Fredricson. Scorer: Hojlund 90+6 Booked: Dorgu, Shaw Manager: Ruben Amorim 6 Referee: Peter Bankes 6. 5 Attendance: 11, 241

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