Spectacular second half strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo allowed Manchester United to claim a share of the spoils against Liverpool last weekend, though beneath the result (2-2), the same glaring defensive weaknesses remained.

United allowed Liverpool to rack up a gigantic 28 shots at their expense and incredibly, that was the ninth time in 11 fixtures where the Red Devils’ opponents mustered 20 or more attempts.

In their last five Premier League matches alone, United also conceded an xG north of 3.0 on four separate occasions. The figures are staggering and Erik ten Hag’s troops have been posting the kind of numbers you’d expect to see from relegation-battling sides.

Bournemouth warrant backing against United on that basis and the Cherries’ price in the double chance market has a favourable look. Andoni Iraola won the tactical battle against Erik ten Hag in December and he can out-think the underfire Dutchman again here.

The Cherries have lost only two of their last 11 Premier League fixtures on home soil (v Man City and Liverpool) and on Saturday, they will be pursuing their fourth victory on the bounce at the Vitality Stadium.

Alongside backing Bournemouth to avoid defeat, bettors should also consider taking over 2.5 goals. United’s dismal defending has been offset at times by some sparkling individual play at the opposite end and their matches have routinely been chaotic, goal-laden affairs as a consequence.

At least four goals hit the net in three of their last four games (4-3 v Liverpool, 3-4 v Chelsea and 2-2 v Liverpool), so expect to be entertained again.

Manchester United’s inexplicably poor defending has been getting plenty of coverage and they have conceded a galling 219 shots in their last nine Premier League fixtures combined, and 152 in their last five away matches in the division alone.

In their last two Premier League tests on the road, United’s goal was peppered 31 times by Brentford and 26 times by Chelsea and on Saturday, Erik ten Hag is unlikely to deviate from the tactical blueprint that has been leaving his team so exposed.

If the pattern of this weekend’s skirmish goes according to form, Bournemouth should blast past a target of over 14.5 shots with relative ease, while the spearhead of their attack, Dominic Solanke, can also fill his boots.

Solanke had five shots against United at Old Trafford in December and he is available at an attractive price to rack up at least four attempts in Saturday’s rematch.

Elsewhere, crafty inverted winger Antoine Semenyo, who landed a shot on target in five of his last six Premier League appearances, can put his accurate left foot to good use again to test Andre Onana at least once.

For United, 19-year-old Alejandro Garnacho is the standout pick in the same bracket. With Rasmus Hojlund still starved of service and an out-of-form Marcus Rashford an injury doubt, Garnacho seems the likeliest to threaten.

The Argentinean forward – who mustered four attempts in United’s loss to Bournemouth before Christmas – has had at least one shot on target in 60% of his last ten appearances in league and cup.

Manchester United have been under the cosh in a good chunk of their away games this season and their corners against tally makes for grim reading from their perspective.

The Red Devils have been conceding them at a rate of 8.50 per game on the road this term, which makes them the second-worst performing outfit in the Premier League in that regard behind bottom club Sheffield United (9.00).

United seem to be relinquishing even more control and territory as the campaign progresses and they conceded eight or more corners in 100% of their last eight league fixtures., and at least ten in four of their last five top-tier tussles.

Bournemouth meanwhile, managed to earn at least nine corners in each of their last three home assignments (v Luton, Everton and Crystal Palace) and backing them to win at least six more at United’s expense seems like a safe move.

The Cherries might also be worth backing to prevail in the corner battle overall against a United side that spends too much time trapped in their own defensive third. The visitors have lost the corner count in each of their last six fixtures, we expect more of the same on Saturday.

Bournemouth are top the pile in the Premier League this season for average fouls committed per game (13.3) and with coach Andoni Iraola keen for his attackers to press from the front, three of the Cherries’ first-choice forwards rank near the top of the club’s rankings in the individual fouls-per-game category.

The hardworking Dominic Solanke for instance, has been committing 1.2 fouls per appearance in the Premier League this season and the 26-year-old gave away two fouls in each of his last three starts in the division.

Expect the England hopeful to put in another shift on Saturday and he should prove a useful pickup in the 1+ fouls department again. A little further back, his team-mate Lewis Cook, is another player to shortlist in the same market.

The bustling midfielder committed three fouls against United in December and the 27-year-old has fouled at least once in nine of his last 12 Premier League run-outs overall.

For the visitors, captain Bruno Fernandes deserves the most attention. Alongside picking up a club-high eight bookings, the 29-year-old has also been committing more fouls per game (1.30) than any of his team-mates this term.

Fernandes has been collared for a foul in 19 of his last 21 appearances in the Premier League and he is consistent enough in that direction to back again on Saturday.