ROMELU Lukaku again proved a thorn in Cherries’ side after netting the only goal to condemn Eddie Howe’s team to defeat at Old Trafford.

Lukaku made sure there would be no overspill from Milkgate by souring Cherries’ night with a finely-taken 25th minute header.

The Belgium international, who plundered four against Cherries in former club Everton’s 6-3 win at Goodison in March, hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons following a stormy Manchester derby on Sunday.

He was culpable for both City goals in their 2-1 victory and also spurned a presentable chance to equalise late on.

And City sources claimed he had attempted to enter their dressing room and throw a carton of milk at the visitors following the final whistle.

However, while Lukaku’s 13th goal of the season separated the teams, United were also thankful to goalkeeper David De Gea for keeping out Cherries.

The Spanish stopper made four key first-half saves to deny Junior Stanislas, Dan Gosling, Charlie Daniels and Ryan Fraser.

Boss Howe continued with his squad rotation by making four changes to the Cherries starting line-up.

Adam Smith, Gosling, Harry Arter and Callum Wilson were all drafted following Cherries’ 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Steve Cook, Lewis Cook, Andrew Surman and Jermain Defoe – who netted both goals at Selhurst Park – dropped to the bench.

Jose Mourinho also made four changes following United’s 2-1 defeat by rivals Manchester City.

Phil Jones, Juan Mata, Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay came in for Ander Herrera, Marcus Rashford, Ashley Young and Marcos Rojo, the latter ruled out by injury.

McTominay, making his first Premier League start of the season, was quickly involved when his raking pass sent Mata sprinting down the right flank.

However, after the Spaniard’s cross had eventually fallen to Jesse Lingard, his intended overhead kick skewed off in the wrong direction.

Cherries, attacking the Stretford End in the first half, saw a swift break come to an end when Gosling’s powerful drive from the edge of the box was charged down.

The visitors forced a couple of corners in quick succession, the second of which ended with Stanislas’s venomous strike hitting Jones.

Cherries were grateful to see Anthony Martial’s delicate cross drift harmlessly past the post and just out of the reach of Lingard, who had been lurking.

A fine recovery block from Jones prevented Joshua King’s shot from reaching De Gea after the Cherries striker had burst through.

De Gea, however, had to be on his toes to push a low, driven effort from Daniels around the post after 21 minutes.

And the Spanish stopper again had to be alert after Gosling had turned inside to fashion an opening, De Gea beating away the midfielder’s snapshot midway through the first half.

Despite their flurry of chances, Cherries were rocked when United took the lead through Lukaku after 25 minutes.

The big Belgian outjumped former Chelsea team-mate Nathan Ake at the far post after meeting Mata’s hanging cross and guided a precision header past Asmir Begovic.

Although Smith appeared to have taken a whack in the face from Martial in the build-up, referee Graham Scott saw nothing untoward and the goal stood, even if Lukaku’s celebration was strangely mooted.

Gosling was booked for a poor challenge on Jones before another save from De Gea saw him superbly parry Stanislas’s fierce drive which took a nasty deflection.

And as Cherries continued to probe, Simon Francis scooped an effort high over the crossbar after Fraser’s 34th-minute corner had fallen for him at the far post.

As Cherries continued to have the lion’s share of chances, Fraser’s cross-shot was punched clear by De Gea as the opening period drew to a close.

Gosling’s timely challenge on Mata stopped the Spain international taking aim early in the second half before De Gea saved with ease after Fraser had let fly from distance.

Cherries found chances harder to come by in the second period and it was United who looked the more likely team to score the second goal of the game.

And the hosts came mightily close on the hour when Lukaku’s assist rolled across the top of the six-yard box with Gosling just beating Martial to the ball, even though referee Scott gave Cherries a goal-kick.

Arter followed Lukaku and Gosling into the referee’s notebook for scything Lingard, the midfielder collecting his fourth Premier League booking, leaving him on a tightrope.

Lingard tripped at the vital moment as he prepared to pull the trigger from close range after Rashford had slipped Nemanja Matic’s sweeping centre into his path.

A double switch by Howe saw Defoe and Benik Afobe replace Wilson and Stanislas with United bringing on Herrera for Lingard at the same time.

Rashford’s thunderous drive appeared to have Begovic beaten all ends up but, fortunately for Cherries, it struck the angle of crossbar and upright.

Ake’s header looped over the top as Cherries went in search of an equaliser before Defoe turned sharply and took aim, only to see his shot kneed away by De Gea.

And deep in stoppage-time, Fraser fired straight at De Gea with virtually the last kick of the game.

MATCH FACTS

United: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Shaw (Young, 82), Valencia, McTominay, Matic, Lingard (Herrera, 71), Mata, Martial (Rashford, 65), Lukaku.

Unused subs: Lindelof, Ibrahimovic, Blind, Romero (g/k).

Booked: Lukaku.

Cherries: Begovic, A Smith, Ake, Francis, Daniels, Fraser, Arter, Gosling (L Cook, 77), Stanislas (Afobe, 71), King, Wilson (Defoe, 71).

Unused subs: S Cook, Surman, Ibe, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: Gosling, Arter.

Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire).

Attendance: 74,798.