Manchester United kept their fading Champions League dream alive by the barest of margins after a Bruno Fernandes penalty rescued a draw away at Bournemouth.
The Cherries started quickly, and their pressure told in the 16th minute when top goalscorer Dominic Solanke fired home from the edge of the box to score his 17th Premier League goal of the season.
The Red Devils hit back through Fernandes’ close-range finish before Justin Kluivert restored Bournemouth's lead, taking advantage of some more disappointing United defending.
Despite a plethora of chances late in the first half, Andoni Iraola's side were unable to extend their lead and they paid the price in the second period when Fernandes coolly converted a penalty given for a handball against Adam Smith.
The point just about keeps Bournemouth's ambitious hopes of European football next campaign alive, whilst Man United are still in with a shot of Champions League football, albeit still being ten points off Spurs in fourth.
-
Story of the Match
Erik ten Hag named an unchanged Manchester United side from their breathless 2-2 draw with arch-rivals Liverpool, with full-back Diogo Dalot making his 100th appearance for the Red Devils.
Premier League Manager of the Month Andoni Iraola made three changes from his side's disappointing defeat to relegation battlers Luton Town a week prior.
Marcus Tavernier, Antoine Semenyo and Lloyd Kelly all dropped out with Luis Sinisterra, Dango Ouattara and Marcos Senesi all coming into the starting XI.
Both teams came into the game with faint hopes of respective European football remaining; United 11 points off the Champions League spots and Bournemouth seven points off Conference League football.
It was the Cherries who started with more vigour, pressing a nervous United backline and enjoying some success in possession.
Dominic Solanke was inches away from getting on the end of a Ryan Christie cross as he looked to add to his 16 Premier League goals this season.
And just 15 minutes in, Bournemouth's number nine did just that, his quick feet leaving young centre-back Willy Kambwala on the floor before he unleashed a strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
The early goal seemed to open the game up, as Marcus Rashford fired into the side netting down one end before back down the other, Milos Kerkez had a close-range effort kept out by Andre Onana.
The chances kept coming thick and fast for the Cherries, with Sinisterra taking advantage of the huge gaps the Red Devils were leaving to cut inside from the left flank and fizz a low shot past the far post.
Despite United dominating possession, Bournemouth were still looking like the most likely team to score midway through the first half.
Ryan Christie fired over the bar from the edge of the box before squandering a massive chance just minutes later, as he hit his shot straight at Onana from just 12 yards out.
It was Man United, however, who struck the next blow.
Bruno Fernandes slammed a volley into the roof of the net from point-blank range, after Bournemouth failed to clear their lines.
Just five minutes after getting themselves level though, Erik ten Hag's team were behind once again, this time with Justin Kluivert taking advantage of the acres of space on the left wing to cut inside and hit a low shot into the bottom corner.
Six minutes before the break, Iraola was forced into an early change as Sinisterra, who had been looking extremely dangerous, pulled up and was replaced by Lloyd Kelly.
United's horror show at the back showed no signs of slowing down; Kerkez and Kluivert both inexplicably found miles of space in the middle of the Red Devils' box just minutes apart, but the crossbar and then an Onana save kept the deficit to just one.
Despite the endless number of Bournemouth chances, United were still a threat with the quality they have in forward areas.
The visitors almost managed to find an underserved equaliser just before the break when Fernandes hit the top of the bar with a strike from distance.
-
The Second Half
Erik ten Hag brought on FA Cup hero Amad Diallo at half-time in an attempt to swing the momentum back in United's favour, and the Red Devils certainly improved after the break without creating much in the way of chances.
United needed a stroke of luck, and they got it in the form of a 63rd-minute penalty when Kobbie Mainoo's strike took a wicked deflection and flicked up onto the arm of the unfortunate Adam Smith.
Bruno Fernandes duly converted, sending Neto the wrong way and rolling the ball into the bottom right corner to get his team back on level terms for the second time.
As both teams looked for a winner in the seaside sunset, chances were few and far between but Bournemouth remained the most aggressive of the two sides.
Max Aarons pulled his shot from the edge of the box just wide of Onana's goal.
With seconds left on the clock, Christie was brought down by Kambwala as he made his way into the area and referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the penalty spot, but after a long VAR check, a free kick was given right on the edge of the box.
Enes Unal was unable to convert the close-range free kick, and both teams had to settle for a point.
-
Player of the Match: Milos Kerkez
Throughout the evening, Manchester United afforded far too much space to Bournemouth's left-sided players.
Kerkez took full advantage, storming forward at every opportunity.
The full-back was defensively sound throughout, keeping first Alejandro Garnacho and then Amad Diallo quiet, and was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet himself as he saw a header crash off the bar.