The sight of a Manchester United player brandishing a winners' medal on a sodden Old Trafford pitch has been rare since that downpour in May 2013 but happier days may be imminent.
Time will tell if the mentality of World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez, paraded by United prior to kick-off, rubs off on some of his more unfulfilled teammates. For now, United are a point off City and Arsenal are nine clear. United have clawed back greater deficits than that.
Newcastle have already been reeled in, a poor sequel to the 1995-96 duel, with United now level on points with the Gulf-state club. It would be churlish to consider United championship challengers yet Liverpool and Tottenham's managers are unloading in defeat and Chelsea are 10th. United's fans have plenty to crow about again.
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This was an at times complacent performance from United, under the cosh after Luke Shaw's seemingly contest-killing strike four minutes after the restart. David de Gea was worked three times inside a minute to put more valuable points on the board ahead of next week's derby. Erik ten Hag thanked De Gea at full-time as they approached the Stretford End.
Bruno Fernandes kicked an advertising hoarding in frustration at a missed opportunity in the 85th minute. Three minutes later, he ghosted past the Bournemouth defence to put one on a plate for Marcus Rashford. United's underwhelming goal difference of +7 is why they remain fourth, level on points with Newcastle.
Preparations for next Saturday's derby commenced. Raphael Varane was unused and Diogo Dalot reintegrated into the team more than three weeks on from a hamstring strain on Portugal duty. Dalot fired two shots in an adventurous cameo and Alejandro Garnacho was more effective off the bench.
Recalling Harry Maguire and Donny van de Beek gave the team the air of a cup XI when Everton and Charlton are due in M16 in the FA Cup and the League Cup over the next week. Any let-up from the selections was not reflected by Ten Hag, seen impatiently waving United forward in the fifth minute.
And any reservations about the manager's contentious calls were rendered moot by the final score. Maguire blundered by conceding a corner with a lofted pass over Victor Lindelof's head yet rose to meet the eventual centre. He was effortlessly outjumped by Philip Billing to spark a sequence of De Gea denials.
United have still not conceded a Premier League home goal since the 3-1 defeat of Arsenal on September 4 and this was a fifth consecutive clean sheet at Old Trafford, ideal preparation for Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne et al.
The superior United back four was arguably on the bench. Varane, Martinez, Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia lined up in the victories over Arsenal and Liverpool and two or three will be needed against City. Shaw, the only member of a starting back four that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer settled on, recreated his Euro 2020 final goal, this time with a right-footed effort.
Shaw has recovered impressively in recent months from his demotion in the wake of the Brentford debacle and he is another regular United will look to tie down on an improved contract.
Old Trafford is the only stadium in England where the sight of an Argentina flag is not a jolt and Martinez's Mancunian homecoming was marked with a surfer banner usually reserved for United greats. Martinez took his acclaim to repeated chants of 'Argentina'.
Martinez, sporting his gold medal, was warmly applauded by the crowd and teammates. Fernandes beckoned Martinez into the centre circle. The Brazilian Casemiro was understandably more restrained.
He was not in celebrating his first Old Trafford goal, cushioning in Christian Eriksen's inswinging free-kick. Eriksen, such a technician, has assisted eight goals in United red and almost all of them have been worthy of acclaim.
Casemiro's volley marked United's second goal direct from a set-piece in as many weeks. Eric Ramsay, the set-piece coach retained by Ten Hag, suffered ridicule for United requiring 140 corners to score last season but they are more threatening at dead-ball situations and more secure up the other end.
Bournemouth's failure to accept their full allocation amplified the acoustics, as some of United's singing section denizens were relocated to the south-east corner by the away section. The old south stand has seldom created such a din.
Van de Beek had the privilege of occupying the No.10 role that he was hardly deserving of, with Fernandes and Rashford switching flanks in the first half. Fernandes's penchant for ceding possession has emboldened Ten Hag to trial the Ajax-schooled Van de Beek, not lacking commitment before Marcos Senesi ploughed into him to signal a premature end to the Dutchman's evening. Van de Beek appeared to be on the verge of tears.
With Fernandes redeployed as the playmaker, he was in place to lay the ball off to Garnacho and tee up Shaw. Rashford eventually ended Bournemouth's resistance and the stadium compere introduced "World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez".
United need a few more winners.
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