West Ham inflicted a 17th Premier League defeat of the season on Manchester United as the Europa League finalists continued to struggle.
There was a celebratory mood at Old Trafford after United’s Europa League exploits last Thursday and the home side, who made six changes from the side that set up a final clash with Tottenham on May 21, started brightly.
Amad was the spark and he was denied by a smart save from Alphonse Areola, but the atmosphere soon went flat as West Ham, who were without win in eight league games themselves, took control.
Mohammed Kudus was the standout player on the pitch and his drilled cross into the six-yard box was flicked in from close range by Tomas Soucek to give the visitors the lead.
West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek celebrates his goal
The problems continued to mount up for Man Utd in the second half as Leny Yoro was forced off through injury just 10 days before the Europa League final.
The West Ham supporters were celebrating again soon after as Manuel Ugarte was caught in possession by Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Kudus then exploded into space and the ball broke for Wan-Bissaka, who decided against shooting and played the ball across goal for Bowen to tap home at the far post.
Man Utd tried to find a way back into the game and their best opportunity fell to Rasmus Hojlund, but the striker was brilliantly denied from close range by Areola at full stretch as the Hammers sealed a first league win since February.
The three points moves West Ham above Man Utd into 15th. Meanwhile, United, who have now suffered back-to-back league defeats at Old Trafford, are without a league win since March 16.
‘The lack of of urgency is the most dangerous thing in this club’
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim to Sky Sports:
“If you look at the goals that we suffer, we can avoid these goals. The lack of energy, of urgency. That is the most dangerous things in this club. You can feel it at the beginning of the game. Between our box and opponent’s box there is a lack of urgency. That is something we have to change in this club.
“I am responsible for that. It is frustrating because we are so near the goals. We have such a lack of urgency to protect our goal. This is week by week. We don’t play so well in the Europa League but we have a different sense of urgency.
“It’s something we need to work on. It’s inside the pitch and outside the pitch. If we are not able to do, we have to go away and give the space to different people. All of us.
“We are going to face a team from Premier League so we are going to struggle. Of course we are going to be more focused, and that is a concern because we have to be focused every game.
“For me, it doesn’t matter if we win the Europa League because the problems are much bigger than that.”
More damning Man Utd stats
Manchester United suffered their ninth home Premier League defeat of the season, their joint-most ever home losses in a single league campaign, along with 1930/31, 1933/34, and 1962/63.
United have fallen 1-0 behind 12 times at Old Trafford in the Premier League this season, with only Leicester (15) doing so more at home in the 2024/25 competition, while it’s the Red Devils’ most ever in a single Premier League campaign, overtaking 11 times in 2023/24.
Man Utd are winless in seven Premier League games (drawn two and lost five), their joint-longest ever run in the competition, also going seven without victory from September to November 1992.
West Ham have completed only their fifth top-flight double over United, after 1926/27, 1928/29, 1976/77, and 2006/07. Indeed, this was the Hammers’ first league win at Old Trafford since 2006/07, ending a run of 16 league trips there without a win (drawn three and lost 13).
Story of the match in stats…
A sign of life from Potter’s West Ham
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
West Ham fans were singing about Niklas Fullkrug for much of their enjoyable away day at Old Trafford. They obviously like what they heard from him after the Southampton game.
But despite having the adulation of his fans it is very difficult to see how he fits in to this team in the longer-term.
This was another example of West Ham being at their best under Graham Potter when Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen are allowed to play as the flexible front two.
Potter has now beaten Arsenal and Manchester United away from home and was minutes away from getting a point at Liverpool.
It was Kudus and Bowen – as a pairing – that provided the attacking platform for West Ham to go and get those results. Kudus, especially, was red hot at Old Trafford. The best player on the pitch.
You feel if Potter can add some steel and some trusty lieutenants to this system, West Ham could improve greatly next season.
Soucek: We are all together
West Ham goalscorer Tomas Soucek:
“It’s always great. I’m so proud of how we played. Last week we played in a similar style and we wanted to show how much we want to play for West Ham. We got three points today and I thought it was fully deserved.
“We were all together and fought for every ball. We had great pressing. When someone went to press others helped him. When somebody lost the ball, we didn’t turn our backs.
“One of my goals is I want to be in the right place at the right moment.
“Three days ago my wife gave birth to my son so I scored the goal for him.
“For us and a new manager it’s so important to get three points.”
