If the Theatre of Dreams had appeared misnamed at times in recent years, at least as far as its major characters were concerned, now it is starting to stage the same sort of drama time and again: a Manchester United win. A seventh consecutive home victory in all competitions and a fourth in a row in the Premier League without conceding was scarcely a spectacular outcome but United can welcome that. Goals from Casemiro, Luke Shaw and, inevitably, Marcus Rashford dispatched Bournemouth and if there was a routine feel to the result, United may savour that.
In the previous four seasons, they had barely won a majority of home league games, just 39 of 76, never with more than 10 in a campaign. Erik ten Hag’s reign began with defeat here to Brighton. Since then, however, they have shown signs of turning Old Trafford back into a fortress. Their reward is a five-point cushion in fourth place and a round of fixtures where Liverpool have lost, Newcastle have drawn and Chelsea have to face Manchester City is taking on a productive look for United.
