By 90min | Created at 2024-10-29 21:33:03 | Updated at 2024-11-05 13:49:07
1 week ago
A controversial stoppage-time penalty expertly converted by Jarrod Bowen snatched a 2-1 victory for West Ham United at home to Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.
Erik ten Hag's goal-shy visitors dominated a scoreless first-half, squandering a glut of chances which they would later come to rue. Crysencio Summerville's 74th-minute opener was quickly cancelled out by Casemiro, before VAR advised that the hosts be awarded a soft penalty in the 90th minute.
Bowen drilled a low effort beyond Andre Onana's dive to secure West Ham's third consecutive home league victory over United.
How the game unfolded
Sunday's first half at the London Stadium was fittingly played at the pace of a leisurely stroll. West Ham's backline couldn't break out of an amble, but were also worryingly ambivalent. The hosts watched on in a fog of apathy as United repeatedly knocked simple long balls in behind, West Ham's defenders not so much trying to stop a goal as get a really good look at one.
But United could not punish West Ham. Alejandro Garnacho hit the crossbar, Bruno Fernandes also proved to be wayward and Diogo Dalot shanked a volley wide when presented with an open goal.
The twitching figure of Julen Lopetegui was West Ham's most active representative in the first half. The manager took the proactive approach of a triple half-time substitution, which sparked a remarkable uptick in urgency and energy from the hosts - who couldn't help but be boldened by United's ineffectiveness.
A cheap giveaway from Garnacho in United's half was gobbled up by the reenergised hosts in the 74th minute. Danny Ings - another sub - scuffed Bowen's cross towards the far post where Summerville was arriving to stab West Ham in front.
The hosts held onto their lead for all of seven minutes. Sinking closer and closer to the stadium's running track, West Ham's flimsy resolve crumbled at a set piece, watching on as Dalot and Joshua Zirkzee won headers inside the box before Casemiro nodded United level.
As both sides belatedly stumbled out of their slumber, there was a late flurry of controversy. United's Matthijs de Ligt lumbered towards a ball dropping inside the visitors' box, brushing legs with Ings rather than kicking him. No foul was awarded on the pitch but David Coote had his mind surprisingly changed after a pitch-side VAR review.
Bowen kept his cool amid United's vociferous protests to restore West Ham's lead in the 92nd minute.
Michail Antonio led the line for West Ham / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages
GK: Lukasz Fabianski - 8/10 - Still managed to look sprightly despite his seniority.
RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 3/10 - Rarely in position to be beaten by Garnacho.
CB: Konstantinos Mavropanos - 6/10 - The fastest tortoise in a pedestrian backline at least tried to throw his weight around and offer some semblance of resistance in the face of United's forward thrusts. Forced off with a knock at half-time.
CB: Max Kilman - 5/10 - Spent the first half wading through treacle before gradually growing into the game.
LB: Emerson Palmieri - 5/10 - On his 100th Premier League appearance, Emerson failed to translate that experience into his performance.
CM: Edson Alvarez - 6/10 - Quick to get involved in any central duel.
CM: Guido Rodriguez - 4/10 - Tasked with dropping between the centre-backs when West Ham had possession, the leaden-footed midfielder struggled to get around the pitch as quickly as he needed to.
AM: Lucas Paqueta - 3/10 - Spent more time fighting for possession in his own half than inflicting any damage in the final third before making way at the interval.
RW: Jarrod Bowen - 8/10 - Skirted around the fringes for much of the contest before sliding the ball across the box for Summerville's goal and converting a high-pressure penalty.
ST: Michail Antonio - 5/10 - Won the physical duel with De Ligt but that didn't earn him much aside from bragging rights.
LW: Carlos Soler - N/A - There is little tangible evidence that Soler was actually at the London Stadium on Sunday.
Substitutes
SUB: Crysencio Summerville (46' for Soler) - 7/10 - Alive and engaged as soon as he came on.
SUB: Jean-Clair Todibo (46' for Mavropanos) - 5/10
SUB: Tomas Soucek (46' for Paqueta) - 5/10
SUB: Danny Ings (71' for Antonio) - 5/10
SUB: Aaron Cresswell (90' for Emerson) - N/A
Subs not used: Alphonse Areola (GK), Vladimir Coufal, Andy Irving, Luis Guilherme
Manager
Julen Lopetegui - 7/10 - Cannot be accused of inactivity. Lopetegui's dramatic half-time revamp clearly sparked an improvement and ultimately led to Summerville's goal.
Man Utd player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Diogo Dalot missed an open goal for the visitors / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages
GK: Andre Onana - 5/10 - Took a nasty blow to the head during a collision with Antonio but didn't let him affect his performance.
RB: Diogo Dalot - 4/10 - While it is difficult to look beyond the open-goal shank, Dalot did once again dovetail well with Marcus Rashford down the right flank.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt - 4/10 - Oddly charged into Ings but was unfortunate to be punished with a penalty awarded by VAR.
CB: Lisandro Martinez - 6/10 - United's orchestrator-in-chief at the back, striding into midfield and dictating the buildup.
LB: Noussair Mazraoui - 6/10 - Produced an all-action display, eagerly charging around the pitch.
CM: Christian Eriksen - 7/10 - Played each pass with a refreshing sense of zip and fizz.
CM: Casemiro - 7/10 - When the game is played as such a listless tempo, the five-time Champions League winner can show his abundant quality.
AM: Bruno Fernandes - 6/10 - Rapidly established that he had the beating of West Ham's backline by simply jogging into the box.
RW: Marcus Rashford - 5/10 - Failed to take advantage of the positional freedom afforded by his new role with Dalot providing the width on the right-hand side.
ST: Rasmus Hojlund - 5/10 - Struggled to get into the game.
LW: Alejandro Garnacho - 3/10 - The quickest player on the pitch used his searing pace to repeatedly burst into space, but routinely squandered those golden opportunities and then gave the ball away for West Ham's opener.
Substitutes
SUB: Amad Diallo (59' for Rashford) - 5/10
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (79' for Eriksen) - 5/10
SUB: Victor Lindelof (84' for Mazraoui) - N/A
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Harry Amass, Jonny Evans, Jack Fletcher, Manuel Ugarte, Ethan Wheatley
Manager
Erik ten Hag - 5/10 - The Dutch coach cannot be blamed for his players' inaccuracy, but the way they wilted after failing to score in the first half will be a major concern.
