Thanks to Sunday’s bomb scare at Old Trafford, the Premier League season will finish two days later than planned.
We all know by now that, despite early and unfounded rumours of a terrorist threat, the abandonment of Manchester United’s game against Bournemouth was due to a prop left over from a training exercise.
The other nine Premier League games were unaffected by the decision to call off the match just moments before kick-off, but here’s all you need to know about the rearranged game.
When will Manchester United v Bournemouth go ahead?
The new date for the fixture is Tuesday, May 17 at 8pm.
Will it be televised?
Yes. Sky still hold the rights to the game, and it will be broadcast on Sky Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 7.30pm.
Do Man Utd and Bournemouth still need to pick the same starting XI?
Both teams are allowed to make changes from the teams which were announced before the last-minute abandonment.
#mufc XI: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Carrick, Rooney, Mata, Lingard, Martial, Rashford. pic.twitter.com/GeN0IjO4DT
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 15, 2016
TEAM NEWS: #afcb make five changes for clash with #mufc: https://t.co/j3C6ZpOjin #MUNBOU pic.twitter.com/I6o5ZOIzHq
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 15, 2016
There is no obvious reason for Bournemouth to make any adjustments, with former Manchester United youngster Josh King among those likely to start the rearranged fixture.
United, however may now opt to rest players ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup Final.
Although teams were picked yesterday, @ManUtd and @afcbournemouth are allowed to change them for tomorrow.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) May 16, 2016
How can the Premier League table be affected?
Manchester United dropped down to sixth place on goal difference after Southampton’s victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday, but can reclaim fifth spot with a point.
They would draw level with Manchester City with a win, but Manuel Pellegrini’s team have a goal difference of 30 to United’s 12, making Champions League qualification for Louis van Gaal a near impossibility.
Bournemouth are 16th going into the game, and cannot drop any lower.
However a point at Old Trafford would see them leapfrog Crystal Palace, while victory would also lift them above West Bromwich Albion into 14th.
