CHERRIES took a share of the spoils after a pulsating 2-2 draw with Manchester United, with penalty drama at both ends.

Cherries deservedly led at half-time, with well-taken goals from Dominic Solanke and Justin Kluivert cancelling out a fierce strike from Bruno Fernandes.

But the Man Utd skipper netted again to level scores in the second half at Vitality Stadium, after a penalty was controversially awarded for a handball by Adam Smith.

The hosts thought they were about to get a spot-kick of their own in stoppage time to snatch the win, only for it to eventually be decided upon review that the foul on Ryan Christie had occurred just outside the box.

Andoni Iraola made three changes to the side which lost at Luton Town the previous weekend. Two were enforced, with Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier missing out through injury, while Lloyd Kelly dropped to the bench.

In came Dango Ouattara and Marcos Senesi, while Luis Sinisterra was a surprise returnee, ahead of schedule following a hamstring injury.

Before kick-off, Cherries’ safety from relegation was mathematically confirmed, following 18th-placed Luton Town’s heavy defeat at Manchester City.

But Iraola’s men have their eyes looking up the table and they made their intentions clear from the off, pressing United high.

And the deadlock was broken on 16 minutes. Senesi won a loose ball around the halfway line, before playing it through to Solanke.

The striker got away from Willy Kambwala, aided by a slip from the youngster, before taking aim and picking out the bottom corner. It marked Solanke’s 17th Premier League goal of the season, eclipsing the club’s previous best tally of 16 recorded by Joshua King in the 2016-17 campaign.

The visitors looked to hit straight back. Marcus Rashford found space down the left and broke into the box, before slamming into the side netting.

But Cherries were continuing to cause United’s defence a whole host of problems. Milos Kerkez was denied by goalkeeper Andre Onana from a tight angle and Sinisterra fired agonisingly wide, before Christie twice went close in the space of a couple of minutes.

United levelled the game just past the half-hour mark. As shouts for a foul on Solanke fell on deaf ears, Erik ten Hag’s men broke forwards. Cherries were sloppy around the box, Rashford finding Alejandro Garnacho to cross low. The ball spun up off the foot of Illia Zabarnyi and kindly into the path of Fernandes, who lashed home a powerful volley high past Neto.

But parity did not last long. Moments after Ouattara had fired just wide across goal, Cherries were back in front. Senesi played the ball in to Kluivert, who cut into the box from the right and smashed hard and low into the corner.

Cherries were dealt a blow soon after, when Sinisterra was forced off with what appeared to be another hamstring injury.

Kelly came on, allowing Kerkez to push forwards into a more advanced left-wing role. And the Hungary international almost got on the scoresheet, latching onto an early cross from Smith. Kerkez headed down into the ground, the ball spinning up and hitting the crossbar, before the 20-year-old nodded over on the rebound.

There were chances for both sides during nine minutes of stoppage time. Onana got down well to thwart Kluivert after a fine pass from Kerkez, before Fernandes’s long-range strike pinged off the bar at the other end.

Chances were then at a premium, until the game was levelled up on 65 minutes.

Kobbie Mainoo’s shot was blocked by Christie and flew up onto the arm of Smith in the box.

Despite Cherries’ protests, referee Tony Harrington pointed to the spot and Fernandes duly converted, sending Neto the wrong way.

Iraola turned to his bench, introducing Max Aarons, Romain Faivre and Enes Unal for the closing stages.

Cherries were on the front foot for the majority of that time, having a penalty shout waved away as Christie went over in the box.

The Scot was then felled again at the death, with Harrington this time pointing to the spot. However, after a VAR review, it was decided the foul by Kambwala took place just outside the box. Unal had a go from the resulting free-kick, but it deflected behind and the spoils were shared.

Cherries: Neto; Smith (Aarons, 70), Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Ouattara (Faivre, 70), Kluivert (Unal, 76), Sinisterra (Kelly, 39); Solanke.

Unused subs: Hill, Scott, Billing, Dacosta Gonzalez, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Senesi, Christie, Cook, Neto.

Man Utd: Onana; Dalot, Kambwala, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka; Mainoo (Mount, 78), Casemiro; Garnacho (Diallo, h-t), Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund.

Unused subs: Ogunneye, Amass, Forson, Amrabat, Wheatley, Eriksen, Bayindir (g/k).

Booked: None.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

VAR: Jarred Gillett.