Manchester United have been in a very poor state as things stand, and a clash against West Ham should have been the perfect opportunity to lay down a marker that the club are together, they are a unit and pushing to improve things under the manager and hierarchy. Instead, United were poor again, unlucky at points due to the late decision from VAR and ultimately limped off, as the news followed that United were moving on from Erik ten Hag and looking for a replacement, just weeks after they’d been trying the same.

While we will look in more detail over the next few weeks at the possible replacements for Erik ten Hag, United need to regroup as a unit, use their experienced heads to get the team together and try to salvage anything from their terrible start to the campaign.

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Teams

In what turned out to be Ten Hag’s final XI, he went with the main players throughout his tenure. With a slow midfield pair of Casemiro-Eriksen, by the end of the game it was all attacking players onto the field to try and get the lead, but not good enough from top to bottom on the pitch as the players look uninspired and lacking cutting edge.

For West Ham, they had their big hitters on throughout, making changes at half-time to reinforce their position in the game. There was a return meeting with United for full-back Wan-Bissaka, who despite the mixed feeling from fans during his time at the club, could have surely still offered United something on the right side in another world. There was also a meeting with Todibo who came from the bench at half-time. United had been linked heavily with the centre back in recent times, but he came out on top with his new club this time round.

West Ham United: Fabianski, Emerson, Kilman, Mavropanos (Todibo 46′), Wan-Bissaka, Rodriguez (Cresswell 90′), Alvarez, Soler (Soucek 46′), Paqueta (Summerville 46′), Bowen, Antonio (Ings 71′)

Subs: Areola, Coufal, Irving, Guilherme

Manchester United: Onana, Mazraoui (Lindelof 84′), Martinez, De Ligt, Dalot, Casemiro, Eriksen (Zirkzee 79′), Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford (Amad 59′), Hojlund

Subs: Bayindir, Amass, Evans, Fletcher, Ugarte, Wheatley

West Ham United 2-1 Manchester United

West Ham United claimed a dramatic 2–1 victory over Manchester United at the London Stadium, thanks to a last-gasp penalty from Jarrod Bowen. It was a tense, back-and-forth affair, United dominated early, especially in the first half, but failed to convert a host of good opportunities. Lukasz Fabiański was alert late on in the opening period to keep the scores level, while United’s Diogo Dalot famously fluffed a great chance when one-on-one with the keeper.

The second half saw West Ham grow into the game, helped by tactical tweaks from Julen Lopetegui. In the 74th minute, Crysencio Summerville, who had come off the bench, slid in to poke home from a scuffed effort, his first goal for the club. United responded sharply: just seven minutes later, Casemiro nodded in from a Diogo Dalot cross, restoring parity and silencing the home crowd.

But the drama wasn’t over. Deep in stoppage time, a collision between Danny Ings and Matthijs de Ligt prompted a VAR check, and referee David Coote awarded a penalty after reviewing the incident. Bowen stepped up and coolly converted, sending the stadium wild and piling more pressure on Erik ten Hag’s side. It was a gutsy, controversial win for the Hammers, and very late relief.

Talking Points

Erik ten Hag’s sacking inevitably became the dominant talking point in the aftermath of Manchester United’s 2–1 defeat at West Ham. The loss capped a difficult start to the season, and the club acted swiftly, removing him from his position the following day. United’s league form, their drift down the table and a growing sense of stagnation on the pitch all contributed to the decision. For all Ten Hag’s earlier achievements, the board ultimately felt the team had stopped progressing, and that the West Ham defeat, with its late collapse, underlined the need for change.

The controversial late penalty only intensified the drama of the night. A collision between Danny Ings and Matthijs de Ligt in stoppage time looked initially innocuous, but VAR intervened and sent the referee to the monitor. After a lengthy check, a penalty was awarded, leaving United’s players and staff furious. It was the kind of borderline call that always sparks debate, and given its timing, effectively deciding the match, it became a major flashpoint. United argued it was harsh, West Ham believed it was correct, and the fallout rumbled on long after the final whistle.

Yet even with the controversy, many observers agreed that Manchester United simply weren’t good enough across the ninety minutes. They created chances but failed to convert them, allowed West Ham to grow into the game after half-time, and were again punished for lapses in concentration. The late decision may have stung, but it didn’t obscure the wider truth: United’s performance levels have not been high enough, and the pattern of inconsistency has been long-running. In that sense, the defeat, and the manner of it, felt like a continuation of deeper problems, not an unlucky one-off.