Manchester, UK – Manchester United missed a crucial opportunity to climb into the top five of the Premier League table on Thursday after they conceded a late equaliser to West Ham, resulting in a frustrating 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. The match was defined by United’s inability to maintain a second-half lead, leading to severe criticism from pundits and palpable anger from the home side.
Match Result Summary
The first half ended goalless (0-0). Manchester United eventually took the lead in the 58th minute when Diogo Dalot scored his first Premier League goal in over two years, finishing tidily after controlling a deflected Casemiro shot.
However, the lead was short-lived, as West Ham found a deserved equaliser in the 83rd minute. The goal came from a corner, following a flicked header by Jarrod Bowen that was cleared off the line by Noussair Mazraoui, only for Soungoutou Magassa to respond quickest and smash home his first goal in English football. Magassa’s goal made him the 179th different player to score a Premier League goal for West Ham, matching Tottenham’s record.
The draw meant Manchester United remained in eighth place in the league, while West Ham, who are third-bottom, edged closer to safety but remained in the relegation zone (18th).
Frustration in the Man United Camp
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim encapsulated the mood by summarizing his feelings as “Frustrated, angry, that is it” in the post-match news conference. Amorim, who sounded agitated, acknowledged that the team failed to hold the lead given by Dalot and knew they shouldn’t have allowed the opposition to have a corner in the final minutes. He insisted the team is merely “inconsistent” rather than “going backwards,” but stressed they must do better, particularly against the long ball leading to the equaliser. Amorim chose to wait until Friday to address his players, believing it is counter-productive to speak immediately after the game when emotions are high.
United defender and goalscorer Diogo Dalot admitted the team became “anxious” after scoring and were “a little bit more sloppy with the ball possession,” concluding that the failure to hold the result was “more our fault”.
Former captain Roy Keane heavily criticized the performance, calling it “desperate” and suggesting the team looked “frightened to get the job done”. Keane noted a developing pattern where United fails to secure results after being presented with a chance to move significantly up the Premier League table. He questioned the standards of the home side for conceding yet another set-piece goal, highlighting that since the start of last season, only West Ham (17) have conceded more Premier League goals from corners than Manchester United (15).
West Ham Views the Result as a ‘Deserved’ Step Forward
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo described the 1-1 result as a “deserved” equaliser for his side. Santo was “very pleased” with the team’s effort, noting that they were able to contain a tough opponent and dominated and created chances in the second half. He called the draw “another step” forward in their efforts to build results and improve.
Goalscorer Soungoutou Magassa expressed that the feeling of scoring his first Premier League goal was “amazing,” calling the draw a “very good point, an important point for the team”. Captain Jarrod Bowen shared the sentiment, stating he was “really proud” of the team for showing a reaction after going down and fighting for what he considered a deserved point.
Notably, former Manchester United player Aaron Wan-Bissaka was named the Player of the Match, having made a significant impact by heading a Joshua Zirkzee effort off the line before the break.
The draw extends Manchester United’s poor run to just one win in their last five league games. They travel to play the Wolves, who sit at the bottom of the table, on Monday, 8 December, while West Ham heads to Brighton on Sunday, 7 December.