1. It’s still a funny old game
Football is a funny old game, as former West Ham United striker Jimmy Greaves famously once said.
And Sunday’s 2-1 win over Manchester United was yet another strange and unpredictable game between two of English football’s most-famous old clubs.
At half-time, West Ham were clinging on like a boxer on the ropes, having somehow avoided falling behind, despite seeing their opponents create eight goal attempts, rattle their crossbar and force goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski into two fine saves.
In the second half, however, the Irons were a team transformed, with substitutes Crysencio Summerville, Tomas Soucek and Danny Ings all inspiring their side and playing important roles in a dramatic victory.
Summerville’s ball carrying and energy visibly lifted the Irons and, with Emerson providing support down the left flank and Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jarrod Bowen driving repeatedly down the right wing, Manchester United began to wilt.
Bowen and Ings combined for Summerville to open the scoring, before Ings’ sharpness won a late penalty which Bowen nervelessly converted.
At the other end of the pitch, the Hammers defended manfully through 14 minutes of added-time to complete a third straight Premier League win over Manchester United at London Stadium – a win that looked decidedly unlikely at half-time.
2. Summerville makes big noise
Crysencio Summerville is a quietly-spoken individual but, when he is on the pitch, the young Dutch winger invariably makes plenty of noise.
Sent on at half-time to run at a Manchester United team who may have been flagging after a midweek Europa League trip to Turkey, Summerville’s energy, pace, dribbling ability and work-rate visibly lifted his team, boosting the atmosphere inside London Stadium in the process.
The 21-year-old’s reward was a first goal for the Club, scored when he showed awareness in the opposition penalty area and the athleticism required to stretch and fire Danny Ings’ wayward shot inside the far post.
Summerville ripped off his Claret and Blue shirt in celebration before sprinting 50 yards to the West Ham bench, where he was embraced by teammate, friend and mentor Mohammed Kudus.
It was a lovely moment for an exciting player who has waited patiently for his chance to make an impact, a then took his chance to impress a fanbase desperate for him to do well.
3. Ageless Fabianski
At 39, Łukasz Fabiański shows no signs of age catching up with him.
West Ham United’s veteran former Poland international goalkeeper was recalled to the Premier League starting XI for the first time since April – and he did not disappoint.
Indeed, had it not been for Fabiański’s first-half heroics, West Ham would likely not have had a victory to celebrate come full-time.
The No1 made two superb saves in the opening period, first coming out bravely to block an effort from Rasmus Højlund with his legs, then even more impressively to keep Casemiro’s powerful header out with a full-length one-handed save low to his left.
Then, as time ticked down in the second half, Fabiański then showed surely handling and sound judgement to keep the Red Devils out and maintain the Hammers’ slender one-goal advantage.
It was a level of performance West Ham supporters have become used to during Fabiański’s six years in east London, and one which could well see him keep him between the sticks in the Premier League as he approaches his 40th birthday.
4. Danny’s big Ings-pact
Danny Ings has spent just 47 minutes on the pitch in the Premier League this season, but when he has been there, he has made things happen.
After scoring the winner at Fulham in September, the striker was influential again against Manchester United on Sunday, when Head Coach sent him on with 20 minutes remaining and the game still deadlocked and goalless.
Still fit and sharp despite his lack of competitive minutes, largely due to his professional attitude to training and keeping himself in superb shape, Ings was straight into the action and making things happen.
First, the 32-year-old created space for himself in the Manchester United penalty area. Although he scuffed his own shot attempt, the ball broke for Crysencio Summerville to score and Ings had registered an impromptu assist.
Then, as the 90-minute mark passed, he battled in the box and was clipped by Matthjis de Ligt and, following a VAR-ordered pitchside review by referee David Coote, a penalty was awarded. Jarrod Bowen converted and West Ham were on their way to a welcome win.
