West Ham United 1-2 Manchester United
A fixture with a history – sporadically hostility – but rarely have Premier League meetings between these clubs ended in such dramatic fashion.
With two minutes of normal time remaining, the score was tied at 1-1.
What followed was a winning goal, six minutes of stoppage time and a last-gasp penalty saved by a goalkeeper from a player with his first touch.
Talk about cramming Premier League highlights into eight rather than 90 minutes.
No amount of SBOTOP Premier League betting odds can legislate for such drama.
Highlights of the game
Both clubs had mixed results in Europe in midweek.
United went down to a self-inflicted last gasp defeat to minnows Young Boys of Switzerland.
West Ham, meanwhile, were impressive in their first appearance in the main draw of a European competition since 2006 as they won 2-0 in Zagreb in the Europa League.
West Ham made four changes to the side that beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 on Thursday, while United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer included three switches in his line-up with Scott McTominay returning after groin surgery.
There is, of course, more expectation on United now following the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo – the transfer that made all of football sit up and take notice – and West Ham made life difficult for their illustrious visitors, although there were no chances for either side until just before the half-hour.
Firstly, Jarrod Bowen saw a shot blocked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka with David de Gea scrambling before Bruno Fernandes rifled the ball against the outside of the post.
The deadlock was broken on the half-hour when the lively Bowen, playing upfront in place of the suspended Michail Antonio, squared the ball to Said Benrahma – a big signing from Brentford in the summer of 2020 – who fired towards goal and the ball took a huge deflection off Raphael Varane and wrongfooted a helpless de Gea and bounced into the opposite corner.
To their credit, United hit back straight away and were level within four minutes as Fernandes curled the ball into the danger zone.
Cristiano Ronaldo flicked it towards goal and, while Lukasz Fabianski made a fine initial save, Ronaldo reacted quickly to poke in the rebound.
That got United’s dander up and Fabianski had to be alert to stop Ronaldo from adding a second just before the break.
Into the second half and the goalkeeper excelled once more after Pablo Fornals gifted possession to Fernandes on the edge of the box and his ball found his Portuguese team-mate.
In a fixture that has been hostile on occasions, it was heartening to see the warm applause afforded to Jesse Lingard as he warmed up for United.
‘He wants to come back’ chanted the home faithful, appreciative of the England man’s impact on loan in the east end during the second half of last season.
As the contest entered the closing stages, it was clearly end-to-end with Fornals going close for the energetic hosts – unbeaten after their opening four Premier League matches for the first time since 1999 and a side which has already put four past Leicester and Newcastle this season.
Just when it seemed both sides would have to settle for a 1-1 draw, two subs combined to deadly effect.
Nemanja Matic had only just been on the pitch when he found Lingard in space and he was able to drill the ball into the top corner – graciously not celebrating out of respect to the home faithful.
That seemed that but then a cross from Andriy Yarmolenko struck Luke Shaw’s outstretched arm and, after looking at VAR, referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot.
The Hammers immediately brought on stalwart Mark Noble, a highly reliable penalty taker, but this time De Gea was the hero to keep out his spot-kick and spark wild United celebrations as the full-time whistle sounded seconds later.
Drama indeed.
Key statistics
United are unbeaten in 29 Premier League away games, the longest run without defeat on the road in English league history.
West Ham’s London Stadium is the 66th different stadium that Ronaldo has scored at in matches played in Europe’s big five leagues – scoring at more unique venues than any other player since his Man Utd debut in 2003-04, ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic (64).
Ronaldo has scored six goals in five Premier League appearances versus West Ham. Fernandes has scored 30 goals and assisted 20 in 56 Premier League games.
Fernandes is unbeaten in all 28 Premier League away appearances – a competition record for any player from the beginning of their career.
West Ham have won just seven of their 51 Premier League matches against United (drawn 13, lost 31).
David Moyes has won only three of his 29 Premier League fixtures as a manager against United (drawn seven, lost 19). All three victories came while in charge of Everton at Goodison Park.
West Ham lost seven of their eight matches against the teams who finished in the top four last season, drawing the other.
What’s next?
This was the first instalment of two and the sides will clash again in the third round of the League Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Indeed, it’s the middle of a hectic period for both clubs.
These games are swiftly followed by a trip to Leeds and a home tie with Rapid Vienna in the Europa League for the Hammers.
Meanwhile, United host Aston Villa in the top flight and Villarreal in the Champions League in a repeat of last season’s Europa League Final.
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