Player Ratings, Reaction and Highlights : West Ham 1-3 Manchester United

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Columnists/Matches

Forget the adage it was a game of two halves – it was a game of three thirds as Manchester United came from behind, and emerged from one of their most shambolic defensive displays in modern memory, to claim a victory with goals of the highest quality.

The visitors were in such turmoil at one stage it seemed as if this would be another chapter in the club’s recent darkest days – enough to raise fresh question marks over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s future.

It was yet another come-from-behind victory with the substitutes making an incredible impact – and though nobody is likely to forget just how poor that opening was, credit does have to be given for earning the three points.

West Ham had the ball in the net through Bowen in the 8th minute after the recalled Pogba had given the ball away – but the offside flag rescued Solskjaer’s team.

The Hammers spent a few minutes evaluating the threat from their opponents – when there was none, they were suitably encouraged to attack themselves. Bowen was chief tormentor and Fornals the recipient of his creativity; however, Fornals didn’t quite have the luck when he first headed against the side-netting and then prodded against the post a few minutes later.

United though have entered the festive season in particularly giving mood and when they next offered up a chance on a silver platter, it was impossible to turn down. A corner was played in – Rice was unmarked on the near post for the flick on and Soucek was unmarked on the far post to nudge the ball in.

It was the sort of horror show that traditionally provokes any team with commendable mental resolve into some sort of angered response. United, though, never seem to have that, and instead insisted on further benevolence – Lindelof gave the ball away to Haller and was saved only by the enormity of the mistake, which gave the West Ham player so much space that he didn’t know what to do, and eventually he stumbled despite having all the time in the world.

Another break from Bowen in similar space only fell down after a wonderful last-gasp tackle from Wan-Bissaka – it made the half-time score a respectable 1-0 from a far from respectable performance. United had been eviscerated as much as any team could be in a single goal scoreline.

The person breathing the biggest sigh of relief at the interval would surely have been Solskjaer; it was not far away from feeling like a half of football where you might have wondered if it would be difficult for him to survive.

With big decisions to make at the break, it was Cavani and Van De Beek who were hauled off for Rashford and Fernandes. Nobody covered themselves with glory but it seemed surprising for Pogba and Martial to remain on the pitch. And at least they were seen often enough for their performances to be criticised, which was more than you could say for Greenwood, who was not in the first half at all.

The second half started familiarly; a chasm of space left by Telles on the left resulted in another chance Bowen should have converted.

United had a sighter when McTominay screwed a shot wide after good work from Rashford – and Rashford himself did the same from the other side soon after. Martial then came off holding his groin, to be replaced by Mata.

So he was unable to convince that he could help turn it around; but Paul Pogba out of the blue then came up with the equaliser, a pure diamond in the rough of a performance with an excellent curling effort from the edge of the box. Fernandes had played the ball after an excellent pass from Henderson down the line. There was a simplicity in the direct approach which so often benefits United.

Moments later United grabbed an unlikely lead – Telles’ cross was met in the box by Greenwood, who had moved into the middle after the changes, and certainly showed his presence with the sort of conviction Martial rarely shows; one touch, no fuss, and an excellent finish across the goalkeeper.

It could have been three – and maybe should have been – when Fernandes’ fantastic through ball found Rashford, but Rashford’s effort could only find the post.

With thirteen minutes to go, Mata’s exceptional first time pass found Rashford again, and this time the England striker made no mistake, clipping a delicious finish over the keeper, sealing the result that looked unthinkable 20 minutes earlier.

It is not comfortable to sit and criticise a team after a win but it was clear to see that United were just as bad as they had been against Spurs, against Palace, against Arsenal. They could have been four goals down at half-time without complaint.

Solskjaer can say whatever he wants publicly but while his team remain as erratic as they are – even in a slow upwards trajectory – he is the most vulnerable person at the club.

Significantly, this was a win that papered over the cracks in a way that the saying has never been more apt. Significantly, it was also clear from the moment the transfer window ended that there would be performances like this.

It’s not just that United were bad – it was the depth of how poor the defending was. To say it was bordering on catastrophic is no exaggeration, because it was only poor finishing that kept them in the game.

What Solskjaer needs to show in the meantime – that time being from now until he can strengthen the squad, although Woodward’s comment about an emphasis on summer windows does not inspire confidence that the club want to equip the manager to see out the season – is that he has a handle of the problems and that he can control them as much as possible. But it still feels as though this isn’t the case.

Nobody is fooled anymore and nobody is surprised by how poor United can be. Or how good they can sometimes be. It will do Solskjaer no favours by insisting this is a sustainable platform.

The issue at United is that they have sleepwalked through the last few years so sometimes it feels as though it needs heavy doses of reality to shock them into action. They can’t afford to play like this every week.

Selection

Some of the selection was enforced, others were not. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been accused of running players into the ground and making decisions too late. Those who are critical of him for such decisions could hardly complain, then, when he took Fernandes and Rashford out of the firing line with two big games in United’s season following this one.

Pogba’s recall was actioned soon enough to render any serious discussion about him being dropped as fairly redundant – but what is not redundant is the requirement on him to put in better performances, particularly on days like today. But as always you’re left scratching your head – without the goal there is a genuinely plodding 5 out of 10 display but there is a moment of quality that wouldn’t come from anyone other than Fernandes in the United midfield, just as we saw with the leveller.

Solskjaer did not bring off Martial until enforced and this was the change that truly turned the game. United can’t afford to play the coasters or the weak defenders but the squad isn’t strong enough that one or two at least won’t play every week. It still feels like Solskjaer is fighting a million little fires. Today they were extinguished. Next week it could be arson all over again.

Ratings :

Henderson 7

Wan-Bissaka 6

Lindelof 5

Maguire 5

Telles 5

McTominay 6

Pogba 6

Van De Beek 4

Greenwood 7

Cavani 5

Martial 3

Subs :

Rashford 8

Fernandes 7

Mata 7

Wayne is a writer and producer. His numerous books on Manchester United include the family-authorised biography of Jimmy Murphy. He wrote and produced the BT Sport films 'Too Good To Go Down' in 2018, and 'True Genius', in 2021, both adapted from his books of the same name. In 2015 he was described by the Independent as the 'leading writer on Manchester United' and former club chairman Martin Edwards has described him as 'the pre-eminent writer on the club'.

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