The City Ground, April 16. Manchester United were in town needing points in their fight for Champions League football.
Erik ten Hag's side prevailed 2-0 thanks to goals from Antony and Diogo Dalot to claim an important three points. The result lifted the Reds to third, with a three-point cushion on Newcastle in fourth and 15 to Liverpool.
Fast forward a month and those two clubs have reeled United in as the trio battle for two Champions League places. Ten Hag and Co have their destiny in their own hands but defeat on the south coast against Bournemouth would pile the pressure on the remaining home games with Chelsea and Fulham.
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And it's United's away form that has undermined their season. The Reds have won just two of their nine league matches on the road in 2023, at Forest a month ago and against Leeds United in February.
A 7-0 humbling at Liverpool has been the nadir but a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United last time out showed the fallibility and brittle nature of United away from Old Trafford. For all they have built a fortress on home soil, the away struggles have stalked the Reds since that woeful display at Brentford in August.
The 4-0 reverse was a sign of things to come. Their record against the top flight's leading clubs is woeful. Aside from the win over Forest, United's only other goals in their past six away games have been at Tottenham, when they surrendered a 2-0 lead to drop points.
Two away league wins in eight games is not the record of a side who hope to challenge at the top of the table next season. United have lost eight league matches on their travels and failed to win 11 of their 18. It's not been good enough by a long shot and if they can't correct it at Bournemouth on Saturday they run the risk of letting it define their season. You can only get away with it so often and with eight away defeats already, United, like a cat, are on their last life.
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