Cherries fell to their third straight defeat this afternoon, losing 1-0 to an early Casemiro strike. However, unlike the 2-0 defeat at Selhurst Park a week earlier, in which Cherries failed to register a shot on target, they did threaten to get something out of the game. Substitute Kieffer Moore had the clearest chance, denied one-on-one by David de Gea in the final 10 minutes. Asked for his assessment of his side’s display,
Gary O’Neil said: “I was pleased. I thought it was a good performance against obviously a very good Man United side, who are still pushing hard, desperate for points for the top four and have a cup final still at the end of the season, so they are full throttle at the moment. We were obviously under-strength, five key players missing, a little bit short today. So in comparison to Crystal Palace, light years apart. I thought it was a very competitive game. I didn’t think there was much in it. I thought our chances were probably equally as good as theirs. They managed to take one, we didn’t. It ends up 1-0, but I don’t think anyone could’ve complained if Kieffer Moore would’ve taken his chance at the end and the game finishes 1-1, I think it would’ve been a fair score-line. I’m proud of the players again, because it’s not easy once you’ve reached the top of the mountain like we did, to then have to go again and suffer against a good side without the ball sometimes, dig in, defend your goal and then show quality with the ball. I thought it was a good performance.”
Cherries round off their season at Everton next weekend.
