Man United suffer top four blow with loss at West Ham

West Ham United beat Manchester United 1-0 at the London Stadium on Sunday evening to ease their relegation fears and almost confirm their Premier League status for next season.

The result also means that United lost ground on their hopes to tighten a place in the top four and the chance to climb up to third after Newcastle lost to Arsenal earlier in the day.

Manchester United make strong start

However, the visitors started the game on the front foot and came close to breaking the deadlock on multiple occasions. Antony, Tyrell Malacia, and Christian Eriksen all came close within the first fifteen minutes before Marcus Rashford hit the woodwork in the 17^th minute.

It was the hosts, however, who took the lead much against the run of play.

De Gea howler gives West Ham the lead

After Luke Shaw lost the ball in the park to Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma made a darting run, and his tame shot rolled into the back of the net after a howler from David De Gea in the United goal.

The Spanish custodian dived to his left to gather what would have been a routine save, and somehow pushed the ball into the bottom corner to give Hammers the lead on the evening. Both sides came close to garnering decent opportunities but couldn’t hit the back of the net as the hosts went into halftime with their lead intact.

West Ham did have the ball in the back of the net just seven minutes after the restart from Tomas Soucek’s flick, but VAR intervened to chalk the goal off due to a foul on De Gea in the buildup.

Soucek was denied by the flag yet again in the 73^rd minute when he fired home from Lucas Paqueta’s superb cross as United held on. The visitors put the hosts under immense pressure in the final few minutes but failed to get the equalizer in a game in which they looked far from their best.  

The win gives David Moyes’ side three crucial points to lift their tally to 37, rise to 15th place, and go seven clear from the teams battling to save the drop.

It comes as a massive blow for United as they are only a point ahead of Liverpool in fourth, with the latter breathing down their neck thanks to their superb form in the last few weeks.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Action Plus