A 96th-minute equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund ensured United took a Premier League point from the south coast, following a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
The Cherries had taken the lead through Antoine Semenyo in the first half, just moments after a high challenge from Tyler Adams was judged not to be enough for a red card by the Video Assistant Referee.
VAR did intervene in the 70th minute however, recommending referee Peter Bankes to watch Evanilson's strong tackle on Noussair Mazraoui again, before the Bournemouth striker was given his marching orders.
United then made our man advantage pay in the time remaining and got back on terms through Hojlund's stoppage-time leveller, ensuring us a hard-earned top-flight point before attentions switch back to the Europa League, for Thursday's semi-final first leg away to Athletic Club.
FIRST HALF – REDS PUNISHED AFTER VAR CHECK
Early crosses from Bruno Fernandes and Bournemouth's Dango Ouattara asked questions of the respective defences, before the south-coast contest's first real chance was brilliantly carved out by Kobbie Mainoo.
Making a second successive start after a spell on the sidelines, Mainoo slalomed his way into the left side of the Cherries' penalty area - nutmegging Adam Smith along the way - before shifting the ball onto his right foot and striking into the grateful grasp of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
That was a promising moment for Ruben Amorim's Reds, who looked dangerous on the break, even if the majority of the play was coming in our own half. Next, it was Alejandro Garnacho to go close after United quickly went from back to front, dragging a right-footed effort across the target and wide from just outside the 18-yard box.
The Argentina international, playing as one of Amorim's two attacking midfielders, was then involved in the match's next big moment, when he was caught by a high challenge from former Leeds man Adams, whose initial punishment of a yellow card was judged to be sufficient after a review from the Video Assistant Referee.
Replay pictures showed United may have had a case to play the rest of the game with a man advantage, but as the encounter resumed with all 22 players still on the field, the hosts got stuck in again and had the first goal soon after.
Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu's pocket was picked by the left touchline as the Reds attempted to play out from the back and in the blink of an eye, the ball was centred for Evanilson whose clever flick opened up a shooting opportunity for Semenyo, who took it by planting a first-time effort low and hard beyond Andre Onana.
Bournemouth's control on proceedings grew after the deadlock had been broken, with Andoni Iraola's side managing possession while limiting Amorim's men to a long-range Mainoo strike at the other end, which was deflected behind for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, blocked shots from Noussair Mazraoui and Garnacho restored belief that we could find a way through, and it was with that confidence that Fernandes brilliantly scythed a pass through the Cherries defence for Garnacho moments later. One-on-one, the latter reeled the ball in and attempted to lob Arrizabalaga, but was denied by the on-loan Chelsea man's outstretched right arm, ensuring the home team would lead at the break.
SECOND HALF – LATE LEVELLER FOLLOWING RED CARD
Less than two minutes after the interval, goalscorer Semenyo threatened to double his and Bournemouth's tally for the day, after the ball was laid off to him by Justin Kluivert in a central area. The former, who had more Premier League shots than any other player entering this weekend, curled his latest narrowly wide of Onana's right-hand post.
The Reds will have been grateful to see that one not nestle in the net, and ramped up our pursuit of an equaliser in the minutes that followed. Fernandes skewed his connection with a Garnacho cutback from the left wide before Arrizabalaga kept out Harry Maguire's latest attempt at a goalscoring header, as United began to string together attacks.
Bournemouth were still a threat at the other end however, reinforced when Ouattara struck the woodwork as he stepped up to take a free-kick from a tight angle by the right flank, before Illya Zabarnyi placed the rebound wide.
That attacking danger was to be somewhat reduced in the 70th minute though, when the Cherries lost centre-forward Evanilson to a straight red card. The Brazilian, who teed up the opening goal with a neat flick, was only booked initially when he slipped into a high foul on Mazraoui, but shown a red card by referee Bankes after the latter watched the incident again on the VAR monitor.
The dismissal, coupled with the introduction of four of Amorim's subs in the minutes around it, appeared to vitalise United once more, as our best period of the game followed. Luke Shaw, making his first club start since last February, had featured in a deep left-sided role for much of the afternoon but was afforded the license to get forward after the red card.
Our no.23's low ball in from the left looked to be goalbound after it was met by substitute Chido Obi, but for a diversion from a Bournemouth defender. In the closing stages, another fresh introduction, Mason Mount, was twice thwarted by Bournemouth interventions too - the second off Lewis Cook's left knee denying what looked to be a certain goal for a moment.
Every opportunity that passed evoked a sense of it being one of those unfortunate days, but the indication of nine minutes of injury-time from the fourth official was an injection of belief for all of a United persuasion - players, staff on the shaded bench and our travelling supporters baking in the south-coast sun.
Those that made the long journey to the bottom of the country watched efforts from Christian Eriksen and Garnacho blocked, moments before Fernandes looked to have levelled things up with an audacious long-range attempt that left Arrizabalaga rooted to the spot but grazed the wrong side of the side-netting.
Persistence paid off in the sixth minute of the added period however, as Manuel Ugarte's goalbound strike was diverted out of Arriazabalaga's reach by Hojlund's touch at close range, to make it 1-1. Obi had half-a-shout for a penalty in the time that remained, but no further clear-cut chances could be eked out, as the spoils were shared at the Vitality Stadium.
Red card: Evanilson.