Manchester United 0, West Ham 2
West Ham completed the double over Manchester United with goals by Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen at Old Trafford.
The race to avoid the ignominy of finishing 17th took another turn as West Ham overtook the Reds to leave them in 16th place above their fellow Europa League finalists Spurs after Graham Potter’s side ended an eight match run without a win.
The Reds had spent almost 20 minutes in 17th place before Tottenham inevitably went behind at home to Crystal Palace and eventually lost their game as United’s Europa League opponents blew their own chance to go above Ruben Amorim’s side.
A ninth home Premier League defeat for United is their joint most home losses in a single league campaign – the same record as in 1930/31 1933/34, and 1962/63 – and Champions League chasing Aston Villa will do their utmost to make that a record on the last day of this wretched season for United.
A stiflingly hot match started at testimonial pace soon heated up further after 26 minutes when Tomas Soucek tapped in the opening goal from 3 yards out after Mohammed Kudus left Amad on his backside and slid in a cross into the six yard box from wide on the left.
Amad had earlier had a shot parried away by Alphonse Areola while Kudus and Bruno Fernandes went close with long range efforts.
Altay Bayındır saved from James Ward-Prowse but the Reds players started feeling the draining effects of the day’s heat following on from their Europa League exertions.
Leny Yoro needed to come off just 5 minutes into the second half and he was replaced by Harry Maguire while Victor Lindelof replaced Luke Shaw.
But there was worse to come for United as the Reds lost the ball in midfield and Kudus rampaged into the United area, his deflected pass still found Aaron Wan-Bisska and the ex-United full back cut the ball back to Jarrod Bowen who was unmarked at the back post and slotted home from 7 yards to leave United 2-0 down after 57 minutes.
Bowen and Kudus were withdrawn later in the game, after United had introduced Patrick Dorgu and Alejandro Garnacho for Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte.
United had a handful of chances to pull a goal back, with Maguire’s headers going close while Rasmus Hojlund had a couple of shots saved by Alphose Areola.
But they looked toothless as West Ham comfortably saw out the win to the delight of their travelling support.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 0, West Ham 2
Altay Bayindir: 6. Rare start. Saved twice from James Ward Prowse and Jarrod Bowen in the second half.
Noussair Mazraoui: 6. Pushed up from central defensive role.
Leny Yoro: 6. Looked a little lost and then was taken off early in the second half having gone down after 50 minutes.
Luke Shaw: 6. Torrid time up against Mohammed Kudus.
Amad Diallo: 7. Looked fresh and rested. Up against Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Early shot saved by Alphonse Areola but was beaten by Mohammed Kudus for the first goal.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6. Looked off the pace, looked better further up the pitch but did not affect the game.
Manuel Ugarte: 6. Looked like he had played too many games recently.
Harry Amass: 6. Was beaten to the ball by Tomas Soucek for the opening goal. Didn’t offer much going forward.
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Tried an extravagant shot from 27 yards out that wasn’t far off but looked tired and short of ideas.
Mason Mount: 6. Good distribution, a pass from midfield for Rasmus Hojlund deserved a better finish. Faded in the second half.
Rasmus Hojlund: 6. Turn and shot sailed over the bar, poor control cost him a shot later. Shot straight into Alphose Areola in the second half.
Harry Maguire (on for Leny Yoro, 51): 6. Left befuddled by the West Ham counter attack but dusted himself off and carried on. Headed behind the back post late in the game and had another one go straight to Alphonse Areola.
Victor Lindelof (on for Luke Shaw, 51): 6. After a shaky start looked better but an injury time giveaway to James Ward-Prowse shows that his time at United is definitely up.
Patrick Dorgu (on for Manuel Ugarte, 59): 6. Went to right wing back to allow Amad to play further up the pitch.
Alejandro Garnacho (on for Mason Mount, 59): 6. No impact on the game.
Christian Eriksen (on for Amad Diallo, 83): No time to mark
TEAM NEWS – Manchester United 0, West Ham 2
Andre Onana, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Patrick Dorgu, and Alejandro Garnacho stepped down from the side that beat Athletic Bilbao last Thursday but there were several senior players still named in the first team for the game against West Ham.
GOALS – Manchester United 0, West Ham 2
Man Utd 0, West Ham 1: 26. Tomas Soucek tapped in the opening goal from 3 yards out after Mohammed Kudus left Amad on his backside and slid in a cross into the six yard box from wide on the left.
Man Utd 0, West Ham 2: 57. Jarrod Bowen smacked a low ball inside the near post as Mohammed Kudus’ slaloming run was not stopped and Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cutback found the West Ham captain on the edge of the six yard box.
MAN UTD – Manchester United 0, West Ham 2
Man Utd: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Yoro (Maguire 51), Shaw (Lindelof 51), Amad (Eriksen 83), Mainoo, Ugarte (Dorgu, 59), Amass, Fernandes (C), Mount (Garnacho, 59), Hojlund
Man Utd Subs not used: Heaton, Casemiro, Fredricson, Obi
West Ham: Areola, Todibo (Mavropanos 83), Kilman, Cresswell, Coufal (Palmieri 83), Rodriguez (Alvarez 64), Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Wan-Bissaka, Kudus (Soler 73), Bowen (C) (Fullkrug 73)
West Ham Subs not used: Fabianski, Paqueta, Guilherme, Ferguson
Bookings: Cresswell 61 (foul on Amad Diallo)
Goal: Soucek 26; Bowen 57
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Attendance: 73,804