West Ham 2, Manchester United 0
Goals by Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Cresswell condemned Manchester United to a poor defeat away at West Ham as Marcus Rashford limped off injured.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was United’s 11th away match on the spin without keeping a clean sheet, their worst run since conceding in 14 consecutive matches between April and December 2002, and left the Reds languishing in 8th place on goal difference.
This was United’s third disappointing trip to West Ham’s London Stadium in a row after a 0-0 draw in 2018, and a 2-1 defeat in April this year.
Reds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer later confirmed that Rashford’s injury – a groin strain – would require a scan but hoped that Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood would be fit to play soon.
Daniel James was fit to play as Solskjaer reverted to the team that beat Leicester City last week but Greenwood, who scored against FC Astana last week, was left out of the match day squad with tonsilitis.
West Ham have had a good recent history against United but both sides took part in an absolutely dire first half with United only having one shot of note – through Nemanja Matic – in the opening 35 minutes.
Andriy Yarmolenko had been the Hammers’ only threat, so much so that Ashley Young and Aaron Wan-Bissaka swapped flanks to deal with him but the Ukraine winger scored just before the break after United failed to deal a West Ham attack.
Things got worse when Marcus Rashford limped off with a groin injury in an off-the-ball incident and joined Anthony Martial and Greenwood on the sidelines.
United were already lacking in invention but to lose experience and pace up front was something that they couldn’t cope with.
The miserable day was complete when Aaron Cresswell’s late free kick, a stunning effort into the top corner with 6 minutes to go, underlined United’s limp performance in London.
And, without three strikers since selling Romelu Lukaku, Solskjaer will have to find a solution when the Reds face Rochdale on Wednesday.