MANCHESTER UNITED V WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2012
KICK-OFF: 8PM
REFEREE: MICK JONES
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Final score - Manchester United 1-0 West Ham United
94 mins - The game is over. West Ham could have got something out of that. Before the game, perhaps a 1-0 defeat wouldn't have been too bad a result, but the Hammers came on strong after half-time and had some decent half-chances. Yes, the home side edged possession and territory overall, but they were certainly not dominant and the visitors were certainly not camped in their own penalty area. On the positive side, the goal difference has not been severely affected. On the negative, it's no points added to West Ham's tally. We go forward to Saturday, when Chelsea are the visitors for what should be a mouth-watering London derby. West Ham TV and whufc.com will have highlights and exclusive post-match reaction soon. Thanks for joining us tonight.
93 mins - West Ham win a throw deep in Man United territory. Demel throws it to Maiga, who passes the ball out of play...
91 mins - There it is. Reid launches the ball in and it drops to Nolan. He shifts the ball on to his left foot and shoots, but it's blocked by a sliding Smalling. Head in hands for the skipper.
90 mins - Man United win a corner when Jones' shot clearly hits Hernandez and goes behind. Thankfully Carrick's header is off-target and West Ham have a goal kick. Can they muster one last effort and find an equaliser. They have three added minutes to fashion a chance...
88 mins - The Hammers are on the attack but Tomkins' touch lets him down. The hosts counter at pace through Van Persie but they hold up Welbeck and the chance is gone when Reid brings the ball clear.
86 mins - Nolan holds up O'Neil's ball before finding Cole. He plays the ball right to Maiga, who turns and cuts inside Evra before curling a powerful shot a yard too high. That was a decent effort from the Mali man.
86 mins - The home side win a free-kick as Demel bundles into Young. It's taken short and the hosts try to take the sting out of the game but keeping possession, but they look a little bit nervous.
84 mins - Anderson is replaced by Phil Jones. Defensive change from Fergie. Is he worried?
83 mins - Reid is fouled inside the Man United half. Collins to lift the ball into the box. Come on West Ham! Reid wins the header and Cole has it with his back to goal. He swivels and shoots low but Lindegaard makes the save diving low to his left. Maiga is then flagged offside.
79 mins - Reid has his head in his hands. Demel overlaps O'Neil and crosses but it's just too high for the centre-back. West Ham win a corner, but it's cleared. The crowd tonight is 75,572, but the only ones you can hear are the 1,400 Hammers who have sung their hearts out all night.
78 mins - Carrick is booked for holding back O'Neil, whose first contribution was to nutmeg Anderson! Before the free-kick, Rooney is replaced by Welbeck. Muted applause for the substitution from the home fans. West Ham are still bang in this game.
76 mins - Final change with O'Neil on for Diame.
75 mins - Rooney side-steps Collins and finds Van Persie, whose shot is blocked wide by a sliding Demel. The corner is taken short to Rooney, who curls his cross well wide and too high for a goal kick.
74 mins - Cole has done well since he came on and his efforts to close down the back four are cheered on by the 1,400 travelling fans. We're treated to a bit of Spandau Ballet and then some more Barthez from the finest east London choir in the world.
72 mins - Jaaskelainen has to be at his best to block a low well-struck shot from Anderson. The ball hits him and loops into the air before Reid plays head tennis with himself to clear his lines.
71 mins - Good half-chance for Taylor. Nolan's first touch is good and he crosses for Cole. The substitute heads down for Taylor, but the ball bounces a little too high and Taylor slices wide.
70 mins - Rooney shoots over from 22 yards. Before the goal kick is taken, Maiga is on for Jarvis. Maiga will play wide right of the front three. Can the Malian make himself a hero?
69 mins - Young takes on Demel and crosses, but he gets no power or direction on the delivery and Jaaskelainen can claim.
67 mins - Chances at both ends. Taylor's kick is flicked on by Collins and Tomkins rises at the far post but his header is behind his team-mates. The home side break and the attack ends when Rafael's driven cross is flicked well wide.
66 mins - Demel is fouled by Anderson. Before the free-kick can be curled in by Taylor from wide on the right, Young comes on for Cleverley.
64 mins - Demel gets past Evra with a neat touch before crossing. Evans makes a hash of his touch before recovering and clearing for a throw. He bangs his head as he does so and needs a few moments to recover. When he does, Cole collects the throw and finds Jarvis, but his cross is disappointing and goes out without reaching the near post. Jarvis slaps his hips in frustration.
62 mins - Cole is on for Carroll. The big man has worked hard tonight and had a couple of efforts at goal. The Hammers fans are singing non-stop to my right. They've been superb tonight. We're being treated to some 'We are West Ham's Claret and Blue Army' at the moment. The home fans are not singing at all.
60 mins - A counter-attack finds Rooney in space just outside the penalty area level with the left edge of the box. He takes a touch and curls his effort around Demel. Jaaskelainen makes a fantastic diving save to tip the ball around the post. The corner leads to a melee that ends with Carroll hacking the ball upfield after Jaaskelainen and Nolan had both hurriedly cleared from inside the six-yard box.
58 mins - A chorus of 'Come on you Irons' is silenced when former Hammer Carrick lets fly from 30 yards, but his effort flies wide of the right-hand post. I am surprised that the home side are trying to play through the middle so often.
56 mins - Reid is caught the wrong side of Van Persie and O'Brien trips the Dutchman just outside the D. Rooney traps Van Persie's short free-kick before the latter curls a shot over the wall and into the hands of Jaaskelainen.
55 mins - Manchester United patiently try to probe and work the ball from left to right before Rooney takes possession and fires high from 25 yards. Organised defending. Jarvis and Taylor have swapped wings, meaning Jarvis is now on the right.
51 mins - Another cross into the box from Taylor hits Evans and loops high. Carroll cannot control and the ball spins out of the box. It's so nearly happening for the Hammers. They need to keep plugging away. This game is nowhere near lost at 1-0.
50 mins - Another half-chance but Carroll's first-time effort is weak. The hosts break and the ball drops from Tomkins' clearance to Cleverley. He hits the half-volley flush but it clears the crossbar.
49 mins - Carroll is fouled just inside his own half. Collins launches the free-kick into the box. It drops to Demel, whose cross is half-blocked then cleared for a throw. It's worked to Demel, whose cross is behind Diame.
47 mins - Taylor delivers again, Collins challenges and the ball is headed back to Taylor. He crosses low this time but Hernandez is there to clear at the near post.
46 mins - They nearly do! Taylor wins the ball from Anderson 30 yards out and feeds Diame. He beats his man and then his shot hits a defender and loops wide. Taylor delivers and Tomkins challenges at the near post. The ball goes behind again.
The teams are back out. West Ham will kick-off. Can they emulate their hosts and score within a minute?
Half-time score - Manchester United 1-0 West Ham United
47 mins - That's half-time. After 32 seconds, the money might have been on a thrashing. So far, thankfully, that hasn't happened. West Ham will have to play well after the break to keep their hosts at bay, though. It's not over, however.
46 mins - Into the one added minute and the home side attack again. The cross comes over from the left and Van Persie gets his head to it, but the ball takes a deflection and Jaaskelainen can catch on the bounce. Thirty seconds later, Rooney fires in a shot from distance that is too high.
43 mins - Collins brings the ball out of defence and keeps going forward. Unfortunately, he is ignored and the ball is cut out, meaning the big defender has to run 80 yards back to his penalty area. He is needed, too, as Chicarito knocks the ball past him and goes down. No penalty and the ball runs away for a goal kick.
42 mins - Massive few minutes for West Ham. A 1-0 half-time deficit means Sam's team talk is about getting back in the game. A 2-0 scoreline and it's damage limitation after the break.
39 mins - West Ham have been organised considering that early setback. Van Persie starts another home attack, but the Hammers reshuffle well when Reid is pulled wide. Evra has got forward, but Taylor puts pressure on him and the Frenchman volleys his cross well out of play.
36 mins - I know Matt Taylor can score from long range, but that was audacious. O'Brien and Diame are involved before Nolan finds the No14. He takes a touch and blazes high from 30-yards at least. Demel was galloping up to the right and Nolan points at him after the wayward shot.
33 mins - Anderson doesn't score many and there is why. Van Persie waits for Rafael, who squares for his fellow countryman, who takes a touch and slices miles wide with his left foot. The home side are controlling the game at present and creating half-chances.
31 mins - Collins brings down Cleverley 30-odd yards out in a central position. Van Persie shapes to shoot but instead clips the ball over the wall towards Smalling, but O'Brien is there.
29 mins - Hernandez comes close to adding a second but is denied by Jaaskelainen. Rooney finds the Mexican, who takes a touch and shoots. The Finn goes down to his left and flicks the ball around the post. Great save. The corner is taken short but West Ham hold firm on the edge of their box before the high cross comes in and Jaaskelainen catches.
28 mins - Rafael gets forward and wins a corner off Tomkins. The Van Persie delivery is headed back to the Dutchman by Collins. He beats one man and finds Rafael. His cross hits two defenders and drops to Anderson, whose curling shot is straight at Jaaskelainen.
27 mins - Carrick catches Tomkins late. That was no different from Nolan's foul on Cleverley. Is Carrick booked? No. The free-kick into the box is messed up by two defenders and the ball drops to Carroll, whose rasping left-foot volley clears the bar by about two yards. Clean strike from the No8.
25 mins - O'Brien slides the ball to Jarvis down the left. He opts to push the ball down the touchline and beat Smalling for pace. He does, but then slices his cross behind for a goal kick. The away fans are reminding their hosts about the day Fabien Barthez claimed offside and Paolo Di Canio ignored him...
23 mins - Taylor's second corner is dangerous and punched clear by Lindegaard. The No14 collects again, beats his man and crosses low. The ball is a yard too strong for Nolan and the goalkeeper collects. Any touch and that is 1-1.
22 mins - Nolan is fouled by Rooney on halfway. Collins launches it into the box and a home defender lobs it behind for a corner. The delivery from Taylor is headed behind for another corner on the far side. The away fans are singing Bubbles with gusto.
20 mins - Aside from the first minute horror show, West Ham are playing quite well. Jarvis gets a the cross in and Lindegaard punches only as far as Diame. He should probably shoot first-time, but instead tries to find Nolan. The pass is short and the skipper gives away a free-kick.
17 mins - As if to illustrate the fact, Taylor and Demel combine on the right before Carroll holds up play and Nolan finds Taylor again. He sweeps a crossfield ball 50 yards to Jarvis. He has space to run into and Rafael isolated, but the full-back picks right and stops the No7's run. The hosts break and Chicarito is in space on the right, but his shot is high and wide of the near post.
15 mins - To be honest, the home side are not creating much. They are seeing more of the ball but it's mostly in front of the Hammers.
11 mins - Close and unlucky! Taylor whips the ball in low to the near post where Nolan flicks his right boot at the ball and it just beats the upright and hits the side netting. Replays show Lindegaard would not have kept that out if the ball had gone a yard to the right.
10 mins - West Ham have a chance to deliver a decent set piece as Jarvis knocks the ball past Rafael and is brought down by the full-back wide on the left. Taylor will take...
7 mins - Rooney's free-kick hits the wall. Van Persie collects possession, but his reverse pass does not find Rafael and rolls out for a goal kick. West Ham have not found any sort of form at all yet.
6 mins - Nolan has been involved twice at the defensive end already and he is again here, winning the ball from Cleverley just outside the box. Moments later, he brings down the same player and is booked.
4 mins - West Ham have two shots at goal! The cross comes in from the left and falls to Taylor. His effort is blocked and the ball falls to Carroll on the edge of the box, but he shanks his effort and it bounces wide of the right-hand post. That was a half-chance, at least to hit the target.
3 mins - To state the obvious, the Hammers now have a mountain to climb. Man United have enjoyed challenging themselves by giving the opposition a goal start in most games this season. Tonight, they haven't bothered.
32seconds - GOAL! Well that was not the best of starts. Easy as you like, Carrick finds Van Persie, whose first touch lobs the ball over Reid. His second is a shot that hits Collins and loops into the net, with Jaaskelainen wrong-footed.
8pm - The hosts kick-off...
7.55pm - The teams are coming out of the tunnel. West Ham are in their third strip of all sky blue. It might be the man in gold, Jussi Jaaskelainen, however, who needs to have the game of his life. He has won here before with Bolton, so why not again tonight? Rio Ferdinand's name gets a cheer as it is read out over the PA system.
7.45pm - There are 1,400 Hammers here tonight sat away to my right in the corner of the stadium. If you want to spot your friends and family members, click here.
7.15pm - I don't think I've ever read more positive programme notes from the opposing manager. Sir Alex Ferguson is gushing in his praise for Big Sam. "I'm not sure I know of any other manager who could have done the job quite so quickly and convincingly" is his take on the manager's achievement of rebuilding his squad and gaining promotion at the first attempt. He also labels Kevin Nolan 'as dangerous as any other midfielder in the game' near the opposition goal. Andy Carroll is 'a real handful'. He finishes with 'they are a tidy side and one we must respect'. Anyone would think Fergie is trying to lull us into a false sense of security!
7.10pm - The team news is in. West Ham bring in James Collins, Matt Taylor and Matt Jarvis, with Mark Noble, Gary O'Neil and Modibo Maiga dropping out. James Tomkins moves into the defensive midfield role.
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, O'Brien, Reid, Collins, Tomkins, Diame, Nolan, Jarvis, Taylor, Carroll
Subs: Spiegel, Spence, Maiga, Cole, Lletget, O'Neil, Moncur
Manchester United: Lindegaard, Rafael, Evans, Smalling, Evra, Anderson, Carrick, Cleverley, Hernandez, Rooney, Van Persie
Subs: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Young, Welbeck, Fletcher, Buttner
6.40pm - The Hammers have arrived at Old Trafford and a few of the players who have not played here before have been out for a look at the pitch and the stadium - the likes of Moncur, Fanimo, Lletget and Maiga. Meanwhile, we have an exclusive photo gallery from tonight's game on the official Facebook page. Finally for now, I've just been told a stat that I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to check - the last time Manchester United lost at home to a newly-promoted side was during the 2001/02 season, to Bolton Wanderers. Sam Allardyce was the manager and the winning goal was scored by Kevin Nolan...
Good evening and welcome to a chilly but thankfully dry Old Trafford for tonight's Barclays Premer League fixture between Manchester United and West Ham United.
The Hammers will be hoping to upset the form book by winning at the home of the Red Devils for the first time since Carlos Tevez netted the only goal in a memorable 1-0 victory on the final day of the 2006/07 season. That result, of course, played its part in keeping West Ham up. Tonight, West Ham can actually go fifth in the table should they win and results elsewhere go our way.
For that to happen, the hosts are going to have to do something that doesn't happen very often - lose at home. Sir Alex Ferguson's side have won five of their six home league matches, losing only to Tottenham Hotspur on 29 September. Fergies' men have also won at home to Galatasaray and Braga in the UEFA Champions League group stage and beat Newcastle United here in the Capital One Cup.
Team news-wise, Sam Allardyce could hand starts to James Collins, Matt Taylor and Matt Jarvis, with Mark Noble suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season in Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. Jordan Spence, George Moncur, Sebastian Lletget and Matthias Fanimo have all travelled with the squad to Manchester. For the home club, Nani, Nemanja Vidic and Shinji Kagawa are all injured, while Paul Scholes is suspended.
The team news will be confirmed at 7pm and published first on the club's official twitter feed @whufc_official