Man Utd's Heroic Display Crumbles in Devastating Late Meltdown Against West Ham

Manchester United surrendered yet another late advantage, forcing Ruben Amorim's squad to accept a 1–1 stalemate with West Ham United on Thursday night.

The Red Devils had the chance to leap from ninth to fifth position in the Premier League table with a win at Old Trafford. Diogo Dalot netted the match's first goal in the 58th minute, breaking his 18-month scoring dry spell in England's top division.

The right-footed effort appeared sufficient to claim all three points until 22-year-old Soungoutou Magassa scored his maiden West Ham goal in the 83rd minute. The leveler was enough for the away side to claim a point from Amorim's team, leaving the packed Old Trafford crowd frustrated.

The stalemate leaves Man Utd in eighth position, tied on 22 points with reigning English champions Liverpool and Brighton.

Man Utd Player Ratings vs. West Ham United (3-4-2-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Senne Lammens—6.7: Faced minimal action throughout most of the encounter, yet still failed to record a clean sheet for a seventh straight Premier League match.

CB: Noussair Mazraoui—7.4: Worked hard to maintain his team's slender advantage with limited assistance from his defensive colleagues.

CB: Ayden Heaven—6.2: Appeared constantly on the verge of a costly error whenever he handled the ball. His half-time substitution came as little shock.

CB: Luke Shaw—6.6: Provided inadequate distribution from deep positions throughout the evening. Just one of his 10 crosses and long passes reached its intended destination.

RWB: Amad Diallo—7.3: Posed a threat almost every time he advanced forward, though his weak defensive contribution to West Ham's equalizer marred his display.

CM: Bruno Fernandes—8.4: Sparked the attack with penetrating runs behind the Hammers' backline during the opening period. The captain concluded the match with five key passes, leading all players.

CM: Casemiro—6.9: Lost possession carelessly too frequently in a subpar showing. Nevertheless, his attempt led to his team's solitary goal.

LWB: Diogo Dalot—7.7: His strike, the fullback's first Premier League goal since May 2024, helped mask his defensive weaknesses.

RF: Bryan Mbeumo—6.9: Displayed moments of quality in attack and contributed well defensively when required, but failed to make a decisive impact.

LF: Matheus Cunha—6.1: Struggled to find his rhythm upon his return. Cunha managed only three blocked attempts.

ST: Joshua Zirkzee—6.5: Featured in Man Utd's best first-half opportunity but was largely anonymous otherwise.

Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo, Shea Lacey.

West Ham (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Alphonse Areola; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jean-Clair Todibo, El Hadji Malick Diouf; Soungoutou Magassa, Freddie Potts; Tomáš Souček, Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes; Callum Wilson.

Subs used: Andy Irving, Mohamadou Kanté, Max Kilman.

Player of the Match: Bruno Fernandes

Man Utd 1–1 West Ham: How It Unfolded at Old Trafford

Man Utd began Thursday evening without the energy home supporters expected, considering the Red Devils' previous Old Trafford outing resulted in a 1–0 loss to a 10-man Everton team. West Ham capitalized on the hosts' sluggish opening but failed to hit the target with their initial four attempts.

Amorim's squad gradually found their footing through Bruno Fernandes' influence. The captain inspired his teammates with several piercing runs beyond the Hammers' defense, generating a few dubious penalty appeals in the process. Eventually, Man Utd increased their pace and established momentum in the attacking third.

A cleverly executed corner, played short, reached Bryan Mbeumo, who tried to bend a shot from the penalty area's right edge in the 25th minute. A retreating Alphonse Areola pushed the ball over the bar, preventing the Cameroonian from scoring a spectacular goal.

The Red Devils maintained pressure on their rivals and almost achieved the opener just four minutes afterward. Amad Diallo's floating delivery from the right wing found Joshua Zirkzee's body, who reflexively directed the ball goalward. However, Aaron Wan-Bissaka made a crucial line clearance.

While a goal escaped Man Utd in the opening half, it seemed inevitable they would break through in the second. The visitors were completely overwhelmed, trapped in their defensive third, when Casemiro and Diogo Dalot combined for the match's first goal in the 58th minute.

A fierce shot from the Brazilian deflected favorably for Dalot. The 26-year-old controlled with one touch before calmly converting a right-footed finish to give his team a 1–0 lead.

West Ham tried to generate a comeback, but nothing troubled Senne Lammens until the 83rd minute. Noussair Mazraoui made a goal-line clearance to stop Jarrod Bowen's hopeful header, but neither the defender nor his keeper could prevent Soungoutou Magassa's rebound effort.

No further goals materialized, resulting in a chorus of boos echoing around Old Trafford when the final whistle blew.

Man Utd vs. West Ham Half-Time Statistics

Man Utd vs. West Ham Full Time Statistics