West Ham United 2-1 Manchester United
Premier League, London Stadium, Sunday 27 October 2024, 2pm GMT
West Ham United produced yet another late show against Manchester United to score a 2-1 win and rise above the Red Devils in the Premier League table.
Crysencio Summerville’s first goal in Claret and Blue and Jarrod Bowen’s late penalty were enough to secure three points on a dramatic Sunday afternoon at London Stadium – but only just!
It appeared West Ham’s inability to keep top-flight clean sheets would again come back to haunt them in Hallowe’en week when Casemiro’s header cancelled out Summerville’s 74th-minute opener with nine minutes of the 90 remaining.
However, substitute Danny Ings used all his penalty box experience to win a spot-kick from Matthjis de Ligt’s challenge – awarded following a VAR review by referee David Coote – and Bowen stepped up to score a minute into added time.
Even then, West Ham had to weather 14 extra minutes to secure a third victory of the Premier League campaign. When Coote’s final whistle blew at 4.04pm, the Claret and Blue Army erupted with a roar of relief.
Getting on for two hours earlier, West Ham’s goal led a charmed life in the first half as Manchester United created eight goal attempts to the Hammers’ one. Every time West Ham turned the ball over, the looked like being punished but, miraculously, the hosts got to the break unscathed.
Łukasz Fabiański was the main reason why as the recalled goalkeeper made good saves to deny Rasmus Højlund and Casemiro, keeping the Dane’s shot out with his legs and Brazilian’s powerful header out with a full-stretch one-handed save.
Manchester United also had the crossbar to curse as Alejandro Garnacho rattled the woodwork inside two minutes, while Bruno Fernandes and Garnacho both put efforts wide and Diogo Dalot also somehow lofted his shot past the post after rounding Fabiański just after the half-hour mark. For West Ham, Lucas Paquetá’s looping header onto the roof of the net was as close as they went to troubling André Onana.
Something had to change and it did as Lopetegui made three half-time substitutions, replacing Dinos Mavropanos, Paquetá – who had both been booked – and Carlos Soler with Jean-Clair Todibo, Tomáš Souček and Summerville.
The changes sparked an improvement as Bowen saw a shot blocked and Antonio curled one wide inside the opening ten minutes, either side of Garnacho volleying Rashford’s cross into the side netting. Fabiański then parried a powerful effort from Højlund as the game opened up as the hour-mark came and went.
With Manchester United visibly losing momentum, West Ham’s grew, fuelled by enterprising runs from Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Antonio, who saw two crosses put wide by Emerson and Maximilian Kilman.
And it was Summerville who provided the breakthrough with 16 minutes to play. Rodríguez found Bowen, whose cross was met by Ings. His shot was wayward, but bounced to the far post, where the Dutchman stretched to fire past Onana.
However, the lead lasted less than seven minutes. Manchester United substitute Amad crossed, Dalot headed square, substitute Joshua Zirkzee headed into the six-yard box and Casemiro headed past Fabiański.
Just when it looked like West Ham had relinquished their winning position, yet another substitute, Danny Ings, went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Matthijs de Ligt. VAR Michael Oliver sent Coote to the pitchside monitor and, after what seemed like an eternity, the referee pointed to the spot.
After another lengthy delay as Manchester United’s players contested the decision, Bowen stepped up and fired low past Onana into the bottom right-hand corner.
West Ham United: Fabiański, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos (Todibo HT), Kilman, Emerson, Rodríguez (Cresswell 90+3), Álvarez, Paquetá (Souček HT), Soler (Summerville HT), Bowen ©, Antonio (Ings 71)
Subs not used: Areola (GK), Coufal, Irving, Luis Guilherme
Goal: Summerville 74, Bowen 90+2 (pen)
Booked: Paquetá, Mavropanos, Summerville, Emerson, Cresswell
Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, de Ligt, Martínez, Mazraoui (Lindelöf 84), Eriksen (Zirkzee 79), Casemiro, Rashford (Amad 59), Fernandes ©, Garnacho, Højlund
Subs not used: Bayindir (GK), Evans, Ugarte, Wheatley, Amass, Fletcher
Goal: Casemiro 81
Booked: de Ligt
Referee: David Coote
Attendance: 62,474
