Two goals from Alejandro Garnacho helped Manchester United to a 3-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford and move them up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Rasmus Hojlund’s fierce shot gave Erik ten Hag’s team the lead in the first half, on the occasion of the striker’s 21st birthday, before two second-half strikes by Garnacho took the game away from West Ham. Kalvin Phillips made another error for the third goal.
West Ham had 20 shots and might have equalised just before Garnacho’s first had Emerson Palmieri capitalised on an error by Harry Maguire on the England defender’s return to the team. But David Moyes’ men were not clinical and their opponents were.
The result sees Manchester United leapfrog West Ham into sixth spot and build on the momentum of their late winner at Wolves on Thursday evening. It is five unbeaten in all competitions now. Momentum might just be building at Old Trafford.
How Man Utd’s win unfolded
On the weekend that Old Trafford paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Munich Air Disaster on February 6 1958, Manchester United were looking to build on their midweek win over Wolves but Moyes’ West Ham side made for testing opponents.
Andre Onana was required early on. Set plays are always a threat with James Ward-Prowse on the ball and his right-wing corner found the head of Tomas Soucek, the ball deflecting awkwardly off Edson Alvarez, but the goalkeeper reacted quickly to his left.
In an opening 45 minutes otherwise short of thrust in the final third, Hojlund was clinical. Casemiro nipped in to win a loose ball – how Ten Hag has missed the Brazilian – and the striker proceeded to cut in on his right foot and lash the ball into the corner.
West Ham had more shots and the better chances in the first half, but their big opportunity came early in the second when Emerson nicked the ball off a sluggish Harry Maguire but proceeded to fire over the bar on the angle of the six-yard box.
Manchester United raced straight up the other end to punish that wastefulness. Garnacho’s goal owed something to fortune, his left-footed shot was heading straight for goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, on as a substitute, before the ball deflected in off Nayef Aguerd.
It was still not straightforward for Ten Hag and his team. Maguire was caught out again when Jarrod Bowen ran in behind him but Diogo Dalot’s saving tackle maintained the two-goal lead. And there was the frustrating sight of Lisandro Martinez going off injured.
But Phillips, on as a substitute after costing his team a goal against Bournemouth in midweek, was then caught out again. Scott McTominay nicked the ball off him in midfield and laid the ball wide for Garnacho to finish expertly with Fabianski flat-footed.
Manchester United have had false dawns before and this was far from a totally dominant display. But, with key players back from injury, two wins in four days have begun to change the complexion of their Premier League season. Upwardly mobile once more?
What’s next?
Sunday 11th February 1:00pm
Kick off 2:00pm
Sunday 11th February 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
Manchester United visit Aston Villa in the Premier League, live on Super Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm. West Ham host Arsenal on the same day, also live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm.
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