Zlatan Ibrahimovic the central figure again for Man United — but not as the match-winner

Richard Jolly reports from Old Trafford where Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth in a tempestuous Premier League encounter.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic catches Tyrone Mings with an elbow during the first half of Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday. Oli Scarff / AFP

Manchester United 1 Bournemouth 1

Man United: Rojo (23')

Bournemouth: King (40' pen)

Red card: Surman (45')

Man of the Match: Artur Boruc (Bournemouth)

It ended fittingly, which is to say anarchically, and with all eyes turning to the referee. In the 95th minute, Paul Pogba went to ground in the Bournemouth box, claiming the third penalty of a remarkably eventful match. Kevin Friend waved away the appeals and, both in the moment and over 90 minutes, Manchester United were frustrated.

Even as their unbeaten run stretched to 17 Premier League games, they missed out on two more points and against the team without a win in 2017. Bournemouth joined a lengthening list of teams who had procured surprise points at Old Trafford.

“The old story of creating lots of chances but not scoring goals applies perfectly to these matches at home against Hull, Burnley, Bournemouth and Stoke,” United manager Jose Mourinho said.

The glow of silverware faded a little and, six days after securing United’s first major trophy of the Portuguese’s reign, Zlatan Ibrahimovic assumed a similarly central role.

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This time, however, he was more participant in the mayhem, part victim, part perpetrator, than ruthless finisher. His spurned penalty, saved superbly by Artur Boruc, ranked as the best of the many chances United wasted and the finest of the many saves the Pole made.

“An amazing performance,” said Mourinho after the goalkeeper denied Ibrahimovic and Rooney, Anthony Martial and Pogba. Even the one occasion when he was beaten, Marcos Rojo sticking out his left leg to turn in Antonio Valencia’s miscued shot, Boruc was blameless.

It came after 23 minutes of pressure. Bournemouth, who ended the game defending heroically, began it chaotically, opened up twice within four minutes and looking liable to be thrashed.

“We played phenomenal in the first half and should have been winning 3-0 or 4-0,” Mourinho said. Instead, they went in level.

Friend’s first intervention of note was one of his simpler decisions. Phil Jones showed the rustiness of a player who had been out for six days when chopping down Marc Pugh. Josh King, a graduate of United’s academy, converted the resulting penalty.

”descriptive

Andrew Surman, left, is sent off for Bournemouth. Oli Scarff / AFP

Then, however, the game acquired spice. Friend had already shown his yellow card twice — to Andrew Surman, for a foul on Luke Shaw, and to Ibrahimovic, for dissent. Each acquired an added pertinence after Tyrone Mings stamped on the Swede’s head. Friend did not notice. Unsurprisingly, Ibrahimovic did, and exacted retribution by elbowing the defender. Surman pushed him, and Ibrahimovic tumbled theatrically.

Friend brandished a yellow card to Surman, ticked off Ibrahimovic at length and seemed set to restart the game before eventually being made aware that he had booked the same man twice. Surman was duly expelled, around 160 seconds after he was shown a second yellow card.

Bournemouth assistant manager Jason Tindall, dismissed from the dugout for his half-time protests, can also expect a ban. Others will wait still longer to discover their punishments. Mings insisted his actions were not deliberate.

“I would never do that,” the defender said. Rooney thought otherwise and suggested the FA would take action. “It’s wrong and there’s no place for it in football,” the United captain said.

Should the FA also move against Ibrahimovic, a three-match ban would rule him out of the FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea.

He could have ended United’s long vigil in sixth place. Adam Smith was harshly adjudged to have handled when Pogba redirected Valencia’s cross on to his arm. Ibrahimovic aimed low and to Boruc’s right. The goalkeeper guessed correctly and made a terrific save.

“Who can I blame? Ourselves,” Mourinho said. “Nobody else. We missed big chances.” He described both penalty decisions as “clear” and described Friend’s performance as “very good.”

He, at least, will stay out of trouble.

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