Ighalo gets substitute role as Manchester United face Bournemouth

Shina Oludare

Ighalo gets substitute role as Manchester United face Bournemouth image

Odion Ighalo will be a substitute when Manchester United tackle Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams will be keen on maximum points at stake as they chase contrasting ambitions. For the Red Devils, victory would boost their Champions League aspirations, while the Cherries are in dire need of a win to aid their English elite division survival hopes.

Ighalo, 31, is yet to start a Premier League game for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men since completing a loan move from Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua, with all six his outings coming as a substitute.

The former Watford man has scored in all games he has started in for United, with his last strike against Norwich City in the FA Cup ensuring he equalled a club record that has stood for 95 years.

In scoring against the Canaries, Ighalo became only the second player in the Red Devils’ history to have scored in each of his first four starts for the former European champions.

While he joins Scott McTominay, Juan Mata, Eric Bailly, Sergio Romero, Andreas Pereira, Brandon Williams and Daniel James on the bench, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford will lead the line for the hosts, who will be aiming to extend their eight-game unbeaten run in the league.

United are fifth on the league table with 52 points after 32 matches, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

 

Shina Oludare