Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford after Soungoutou Magassa struck late to cancel out Diogo Dalot’s opener, leaving United to rue another dropped opportunity at home.
Dalot’s well-taken finish just before the hour looked to have secured all three points and would have lifted Ruben Amorim’s side into fifth, but United could not shut the game down and Magassa tucked away a rebound to earn West Ham a deserved point.
United, who had previously lost at home to 10-man Everton, do move above Liverpool into eighth, but this result felt like a missed chance. Nuno Espirito Santo will be pleased to take a point; his team remain in the relegation zone but are now only two points from safety after their recent upturn in form.
The opening half saw West Ham on the front foot for spells. Casemiro blocked a low effort from Matheus Fernandes in the early stages, but United grew into the contest. Alphonse Areola had to tip over a dangerous Bryan Mbeumo cross-shot, Aaron Wan-Bissaka instinctively cleared off the line from Joshua Zirkzee, and Bruno Fernandes’ follow-up clipped the post. United finished the first half having recorded a season-high 25 touches in the opposition box.
Ayden Heaven, making his first start since the Grimsby debacle, was taken off at half-time after picking up an early booking, though Amorim kept his 3-4-3 shape. Dalot later drifted into the box unmarked and slammed home to lift the atmosphere at Old Trafford, but United’s inability to extend their lead proved costly.
Andy Irving, on as a substitute, swung in a corner with his first touch; Jarrod Bowen flicked on and although Noussair Mazraoui initially cleared off the line, the rebound fell kindly to Magassa who finished neatly. West Ham even pushed for a late winner.
Player ratings:
Man Utd: Lammens 6, Mazraoui 7, Heaven 6, Shaw 7, Amad 7, Casemiro 7, Fernandes 6, Dalot 7, Cunha 6, Mbeumo 6, Zirkzee 6. Subs: Yoro 6, Dorgu 6, Mount n/a, Ugarte n/a, Martinez n/a.
West Ham: Areola 6, Wan-Bissaka 8, Todibo 7, Mavropanos 7, Diouf 7, Potts 7, Magassa 8, Fernandes 6, Soucek 6, Bowen 7, Wilson 6. Subs: Irving n/a, Kante n/a, Kilman n/a.
Player of the Match: Soungoutou Magassa.
Since Nuno’s appointment, only Aston Villa (9) have recovered more Premier League points from losing positions than West Ham (8), evidence of the fighting spirit he has instilled and a sign they are not destined for relegation if that continues. United’s position is less straightforward: Champions League qualification remains a theoretical possibility, but consistent sloppiness will make that difficult.
Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane summed up frustration around United, questioning the players’ intensity and quality and suggesting the team are not ready to push for the very top positions yet. Ruben Amorim admitted his side lost a bit of control after taking the lead and said they should have closed the game, pointing to issues with second balls and maintaining possession. Nuno praised his players for earning a result at a difficult venue and felt his team created plenty of problems for United, particularly after half-time.
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