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Manchester United slumped to an embarrassing 2-1 loss to West Ham United on Sunday following a poor attacking show.
Whereas Man United appeared to show their fortunes round with a 2-1 win over Brentford final weekend, a 1-1 draw with Fenerbahçe within the Europa League has offered yet one more knock to the arrogance of the membership’s pissed off fanbase.
United have been virtually off to a dream begin as they launched into a fast assault. Alejandro Garnacho surged into the field, slamming his thunderous shot into the crossbar.
Erik ten Hag’s group seemed snug on the ball within the minutes that adopted, exhibiting some easy passing round West Ham’s closing third. It was only a cussed defence that prevented than from creating any clear probabilities.
12 minutes in, Garnacho picked out Hojlund within the field, who, regardless of being marked, beat Max Kilburn and edged out a shot that the keeper was lucky sufficient to be well-positioned to avoid wasting. Bruno Fernandes adopted up with a shot excessive. Some respectable stress from United within the early levels.
West Ham launched a sporadic assault 14 minutes in, with Lisandro Martinez doing nicely to clear a cross from former teammate Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Rashford appeared to beat the house facet’s defensive position when he received on the tip of a Fernandes’ via ball, nonetheless, goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski did nicely to dive on the ball in time to cease the hazard.
Within the twenty second minute, the house group have been again on the assault, with Wan-Bissaka and Bowen exchanging a fast sequence of passes that sliced via United’s defence. Fortuitously, Noussair Mazraoui reduce out Bowen’s closing cross in direction of the objective.
A half-hour in, Ten Hag and Ruud van Nistelrooy have been up in arms as Garnacho was taken down on the sting of the field by Konstantinos Mavropanos. Whereas the offside flag went up at the beginning of Garnacho’s run, the referee booked the West Ham defender for his harmful deal with.
Moments later, Fernandes despatched a magical lengthy ball towards Diego Dalot, who beat the final defender. Because the keeper got here out, Dalot beat him, with an virtually open objective awaiting him. Shockingly, Dalot punted the ball excessive, losing yet one more prime scoring alternative and silencing United followers throughout the board.
On the stroke of half-time, Christian Eriksen whipped in a deadly free kick; nonetheless, Casemiro’s glancing header was tipped excessive by an alert goalkeeper.
United appeared visibly pissed off because the half-time whistle blew. The group missed an array of straightforward scoring alternatives, exhibiting simply how substandard their ending continues to be.
Simply two minutes after the restart, Andre Onana collapsed after struggling a head collision with Antonio. Whereas Altay Bayindir was warming up on the sideline, Onana managed to rise to his ft and resume the sport.
Whereas Eriksen curled in a threatening nook kick within the 58th minute, Fabianski did nicely to rise to the ball and punch it out of hazard, placing an finish to a different interval of stress by United.
Earlier than the hour mark, Marcus Rashford was taken off for Amad Diallo.
Michail Antonio caught the United defence off guard, threading a go to Emerson who failed to attach with the ball. Had he been profitable, it could have been a objective towards the stream of play, exhibiting how weak United have been at instances.
Within the 74th minute, the house facet broke the deficit. Garnacho’s go was intercepted within the closing third, with Bowen sending a ball throughout the face of objective to Danny Ings. Whereas Ings missed his likelihood, fellow substitute Crysencio Summerville thumped the ball into the online, with the London Stadium erupting in pleasure.
But once more, United have been left shellshocked regardless of dominating a lot of the match.
Garnacho despatched a threatening cross into the field, nonetheless, the ball floated simply over the pinnacle of Hojlund, permitting the keeper to make the save.
Joshua Zirkzee got here on to switch Eriksen, including some attacking firepower with simply 11 minutes left of standard time.
On the stroke of 80 minutes, United discovered an equaliser. Dalot headed the ball to Zirkzee, whose header on objective veered extensive. Fortuitously, Casemiro was completely positioned to thump a header of his personal into the again of the online. It was a little bit of attacking fortune for United because it appeared as in the event that they appeared on target towards a disappointing loss.
Within the 84th minute, Victor Lindelof got here on to switch Mazraoui.
Two minutes from time, VAR was known as into play as De Ligt crashed into Ings, bringing him down within the field as the house group have been on the assault. Following a prolonged have a look at the VAR monitor, the referee pointed to the spot, granting a penalty to West Ham.
Instantly after, United appealed to the referee as there seemed to be a handball on Ings’ half. After a fast overview, it was decided that the foul occurred first, that means the penalty resolution would stand.
Jarrod Bowen squared as much as the ball, thumping it inches previous Onana’s glove into the underside proper nook to revive his group’s lead.
Following a chaotic match, a grandiose 12 minutes of added time have been awarded, leaving ample time for extra drama to ensue.
Whereas United tried a number of attacking build-ups through the first six minutes of stoppage time, they appeared simply as toothless as they’d been all through the remainder of the match, failing to threaten the West Ham defence in any approach, form, or kind.
United saved up the attacking stress, nonetheless, the house facet’s defence refused to let up. Fernandes took a shot from distance that veered nicely extensive, symbolic of United’s horrific attacking efficiency.
How lengthy Ten Hag has left in his job is anybody’s guess, notably after yet one more unacceptable outcome.
Beginning XI: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Fernandes, Hojlund, Rashford, Eriksen, Garnacho, Casemiro, Dalot
Subs: Amad, Zirkzee, Lindelof
Featured picture Justin Setterfield through Getty Photographs
