Manchester United gave David Moyes more to worry about when he was in charge of them. This was their eighth defeat in the Premier League this season, their latest capitulation in a testing away game under Erik ten Hag and another occasion when the contribution from a series of expensive attackers amounted to zilch.
Rasmus Højlund, United’s struggling £72m striker, being substituted before the hour after failing to make any impact against West Ham’s burly centre-backs encapsulated the waste. So did Antony, Ten Hag’s ineffectual £86m winger, being completely left in the shade by another former Ajax forward. Where, after all, would United be if they had signed Mohammed Kudus instead of Antony? Or would Kudus, who has scored 10 times in all competitions since joining West Ham in the summer, merely have become the latest import to have disappeared into the Old Trafford void?
Perhaps, but what can be said with certainty is that West Ham were never in danger of conceding here. Nor was there any prospect of United, now goalless in their past four games, mounting a classic comeback after a brilliant lofted pass from Lucas Paquetá sent Jarrod Bowen through to breach Ten Hag’s makeshift defence in the 73rd minute.
There is a lack of personality in this United team. Their captain, Bruno Fernandes, did not react well to his every move being tracked by Edson Álvarez, West Ham’s tough-tackling midfielder. Their most famous forward, Marcus Rashford, did nothing after coming on for Højlund. Nobody led. Bowen scored and United melted away. Paquetá, who has created each of West Ham’s last five league goals, would soon be teeing up Kudus to slam the clincher past André Onana.
United must pine for a playmaker as decisive as Paquetá. However credit must also go to Moyes for the rejig that paved the way for West Ham to secure a win that moved them above the Scot’s old side and into sixth place. Having disappointed for an hour, West Ham were sharper when Paquetá moved into the middle, Bowen went right and Kudus shifted to the left.
Moyes was happy to take the praise. West Ham’s strong finish meant he could argue that he was right to rest players when his side lost to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup last Wednesday. Ultimately it did not matter that they initially struggled to take advantage of an injury crisis that meant United had to replace the unwell Raphaël Varane with Willy Kambwala, the 19-year-old French centre-back, and pair the debutant with the 35-year-old Jonny Evans.
United’s big problem, though, remained their lack of flow in the final third. One attack ended with Antony spraying a pass out for a throw-in. Another saw Højlund take a pass from Fernandes and try to beat Kurt Zouma, who proved too strong for the young Dane.
The mind drifted to the stat that Bowen has scored more league goals this season than United’s entire starting 11. Conviction was missing when a mistake from Kudus allowed Antony to release Alejandro Garnacho. Alphonse Areola easily saved the winger’s tame finish.
At least United were pressing, Kobbie Mainoo testing Areola from 20 yards. Yet West Ham were more aggressive after half-time. Less reliant on counterattacks, they almost led when James Ward-Prowse delivered a corner and Bowen leapt above Antony. Onana saved well.
Ten Hag was concerned enough to bring Rashford on for Højlund, whose wait for his first league goal goes on. But Moyes was also moving the pieces around. Bowen was isolated through the middle and could not hold the ball up. The solution was moving Paquetá away from the left flank and using him as a false nine.
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West Ham were more dangerous without a fixed point in attack. Bowen dribbled inside, found Paquetá and kept running. Finally, some ingenuity. Paquetá’s scoop was beautiful and took Mainoo out of the game. With Shaw failing to cover, Bowen was free to take the ball in his stride and force the rebound in with a knee after Onana blocked his initial effort.
United were too blunt to recover. The game was up when Mainoo lost possession to Kudus, who swapped passes with Paquetá before swerving to the right and driving an angled shot beyond Onana.
