Bournemouth 2 - 1 Manchester United: Three things we learnt

Manchester United lost their second straight game, meaning the team has just won three in it's last 12.

Young defenders Guillermo Varela and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson made their Premier League debuts as United lacked nine players for the tie.

United were unlucky as early as the second minutes when a wind assisted   Junior Stanislas's corner beat De Gea in goal. United the equaliser through Fellaini, midway into the first half. United conceded the second from another corner as former United player  Joshua King taped in on the 54th minute. United struggled to find the second goal and could even have lost by a wider margin.

Here are three talking points from the game.

1. BLAME THE PHILOSOPHY, NOT THE YOUNGSTERS

The average age of Manchester United's starting eleven was their 6th youngest in the Premier League history (24y 131d old). But the loss to Bournemouth was not because of the young line up, it was a function of the philosophy that had been in place.

Debutants Varela and Jackson gave a decent account of themselves. The defence was undoubtedly fragile, but no compartment of the United team lived up to its expectation.

The attack was blunt, the midfield anchored by only Carrick. United tried to play the long balls but looks like most of the players have gotten used to the Van Gaal's possession and passing game.

You can't give what you don't have, a lot of the young attacking players have prospects, but are not ripe enough to spearhead the attack of a title challenging team,  like Manchester United, under a philosophy that seem to imprison their freedom, flair and innate creativity.

The Bournemouth defeat was not an event that happened today, it is a process long coming.

2. STRANGE SUBSTITUTIONS AGAIN:

There will always be analytical debates on any substitution a manager makes, but against Bournemouth, Van Gaal made two questionable subs.

First, Ashley Young looked like a perfect replacement  for injured Lingard, but Van Gaal preferred Perreria. Young may not be a traditional right winger, but he's more experienced and might have influenced the game more.

The second and most pronounced is the hauling out of goal scorer Maroune Fellaini, for Powell. Fellaini was no doubt one of  United's best goal threat on the field, subbing him when your team is 2-1 down is strange.

3. UNITED'S TITLE CHALLENGE TURING INTO A RACE FOR TOP FOUR:

Manchester United gradual and continuous dropping of points means the team is also dropping on the Premier League table. If Tottenham defeat Newcastle in their next match, they overtake United, while Van Gaal's boys slip into the fifth  position.

If the team fails to pick up, and with improving big teams like Chelsea and Liverpool behind, United's top four finish maybe under threat.