West Ham United secured a 2-0 victory over Manchester United with second-half goals from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus on Saturday afternoon. The win propelled the hosts above their visitors in the Premier League standings.
Before the match, David Moyes downplayed any sentiment towards facing Manchester United, stating, “I’ve always enjoyed playing Manchester United.” Despite the uninspiring nature of the game, Moyes would have found satisfaction in the result before the Christmas break.
Bowen opened the scoring in the 72nd minute with a stylish finish, capitalizing on a well-crafted play by Lucas Paqueta. Both goals were separated by six minutes in the second half, highlighting West Ham’s efficiency. However, much of the credit for the result was attributed to Manchester United’s lackluster performance.
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The match unfolded with Manchester United adopting a pragmatic approach similar to their previous outing at Anfield, dampening the atmosphere at the London Stadium. Scoring opportunities in the first half were scarce and often arose from defensive errors.
Kudus’s sleepy back-pass 30 minutes into the game gifted Antony an opportunity, but Alejandro Garnacho failed to capitalize. West Ham’s first-half chances were limited, with a notable exception being a sharp save forced from Andre Onana by Jarrod Bowen’s header from a James Ward-Prowse corner.
Bowen’s decisive goal showcased individual brilliance as he executed a crisp one-two with Lucas Paqueta, eluding United’s defense before finding the net. The Manchester United defense was further exploited when Kobbie Mainoo’s lapse allowed Paqueta to set up Kudus for West Ham’s second goal.
Erik ten Hag’s side suffered their 13th defeat of the season in their 26th game, a significant decline compared to the previous season when they only lost 12 matches in 62 games. The result highlighted Manchester United’s struggles and raised concerns about their overall performance.