United’s Title Hopes Dwindle After Shock Home DefeatUnited’s Title Hopes Dwindle After Shock Home Defeat Manchester United’s faint hopes of winning the Premier League title suffered a major blow after they slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Saturday. The Red Devils were heavy favorites going into the match, but they were outplayed by a resilient Bournemouth side who took the lead through Philip Billing’s late goal. United failed to recover from the setback and were left frustrated by a disciplined visiting defense. The result leaves United eight points behind league leaders Arsenal and seven adrift of second-placed Manchester City. With just 11 games remaining in the season, it is now highly unlikely that Erik ten Hag’s side will be able to close the gap. The defeat was particularly disappointing given United’s recent good form. They had won four consecutive games in all competitions, including a thrilling win over Barcelona in the Europa League. However, they were unable to maintain their momentum against an inspired Bournemouth team. United manager Erik ten Hag admitted that his team was not at their best on the day. “We were not good enough today,” he said after the match. “We didn’t create enough chances and we didn’t defend well enough. We need to learn from this and move on.” The defeat is a major setback for United, who were hoping to challenge for the title this season. However, they have now lost three of their last five league games and their hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2013 are all but over. United will now be looking to bounce back on Wednesday when they face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final. A win in that match will give them some much-needed confidence and momentum as they look to secure a place in the top four and qualify for next season’s Champions League.