What Hojlund did before he scored helped him equalise for Man Utd vs Bournemouth

Rasmus Hojlund spared Man United of defeat at Bournemouth ahead of their Europa League semi-final with Athletic Bilbao.

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Rasmus Hojlund reacted bullishly to Bournemouth going a man down. He was responsible for ensuring Manchester United did not go down in defeat.

Hojlund had been venting at Andre Onana in the first half and made a beeline for Ruben Amorim while Bournemouth celebrated their goal. It was his turn to celebrate in added time.

It was fleeting. Only an equaliser against ten-man Bournemouth. Manuel Ugarte collected the ball to restart as quickly as possible for a team with ten wins in 34 league games.

For Hojlund, that goal could be like a winner. Another goal drought is over ahead of United's season-defining Europa League double-header with Athletic Bilbao.

Hojlund's white kit was muddied come full-time. His commitment has never been in question but his quality has. His quick-thinking and instinctive prod from Ugarte's shot was worthy of a United No.9.

Ruben Amorim sent on Chido Obi to partner Hojlund. Had Obi replaced Hojlund in the 75th minute it would have crushed his confidence. The younger Dane almost ended the day with more chances than the senior striker. Hojlund pounced when it mattered.

The addition of a second striker marked the first time Amorim has been remotely malleable with his 3-4-2-1 system. It seemed to flummox the players. Ugarte popped up at centre half when United already had three in their backline. Luke Shaw shifted to the wing, where Garnacho was supposed to be. It worked out in the end.

Hojlund scored a few during the shooting practice before kick-off and they threatened to be his only shots all afternoon. When Hojlund charged into the penalty area in the 50th minute with Patrick Dorgu on the ball, he slipped and the ball harmlessly whistled across the penalty area. Hojlund vented again.

In the first half, Hojlund concealed his mouth during his conflab with Amorim but pointed in Onana's direction. Eventually and unwittingly, he received some form of service.

And so United leave Dorset on a relatively high note with their spirits lifted. Only a draw but some morale has been restored.

United's supporters were raucous at full-time. They know from last season that maintaining harmony does no harm, whatever the score. The draw merely elevated United to 14th.

"Follow, follow, follow, 'cause United are going to Bilbao," the away end boasted. United's jaunt to the Basque Country cannot come soon enough. Their Premier League season cannot end soon enough.

They avoided a 16th league defeat, for now. Bournemouth will curse Evanilson's red card and nine excessive minutes of added time but United merited their draw.

For at least two more weeks, United have avoided the ignominy of six teams beating them home and away this season. The last time that happened was in 1930-31. United were relegated.

United went a man up after Evanilson's scissor-tackle on Noussair Mazraoui in the 70th minute. Harry Maguire, substituted, leapt off the bench and the first-team coach Andreas Georgson put his hands on his head. Amorim ordered his staff back to the dugout.

Maguire, Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes individually collared referee Peter Bankes in the tunnel at half-time, still appalled that Tyler Adams only got a yellow card for his rumbustious tackle on Alejandro Garnacho. That typified this United team's meek mentality. The paranoid contingent of Bournemouth's supporters may wonder whether the interval exchanged influenced Bankes' call on Evanilson.

Amorim was always bound to select his strongest team available as a dress rehearsal for the Europa League semi-final first leg against Athletic on Thursday. When push comes to shove, Amorim has favoured seniority and Harry Amass' bright performances against Newcastle United and Wolves were trumped by Luke Shaw's experience.

This was Shaw's first start in 434 days. On a bucolic day, he defied expectations to complete 90 minutes, even putting a shift in on the left wing, having started at left centre back.

That ensured Patrick Dorgu started to the left wing but that Mazraoui, in the midst of his own centre-back reinvention, moved to the right flank. That risks blunting United's attack against La Liga's most miserly defence.

Shaw's return caused confusion and contributed. Amorim and his assistant, Carlos Fernandes, separately and repeatedly hollered "Luke" and Shaw did not hear them. The message was eventually passed on to Fernandes, within earshot.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, recovering from the London Marathon in one of the Vitality Stadium's hospitality boxes, may be ageing more watching United. Indecision was rife during United's goal kicks at Bournemouth last season. Go long or go short? Fernandes was in conflict with Onana 12 months ago and received a ticking off from Erik ten Hag.

Onana insisted on playing out from his penalty area, Shaw played Dorgu into trouble and into Bournemouth's hands. One-nil.

Tom Heaton checked on Onana minutes into the match and limbered up. Onana gave the thumbs up. The irked United fans' reaction to some of the frivolous passing doubled as a thumbs down.

The 1,299 United supporters at Bournemouth will have appreciated the distance between them and Anfield on a day Liverpool are bound to draw level with them on 20 titles. United supporters ceased singing '20 times, 20 times, Man United' some time ago.

Three years ago, United fans at Selhurst Park celebrated on the final day when Liverpool fell short. They did likewise at Southampton in 2014, back when they must have thought they had got away with it, convinced those ten months under David Moyes were an aberration. United have just gone above David Moyes's Everton.

Thanks to Hojlund.

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