They are crumbling.
From a position of strength and top-four near-certainty, Manchester United are falling apart. Liverpool, thundering down the rails smelling blood and Champions League football, now know that they are there for the taking.
Regardless of what happens in the remaining weeks of this season, Said Benrahma’s winner and the surrender that followed here summed up the brutal nature of the summer clearout facing Erik ten Hag.
It wasn’t just David De Gea’s poor reactions for the decisive, 27th-minute strike. Or the fact that West Ham should also have had a stonewall penalty for Victor Lindelof’s handball in first half injury time.
It was everything. Bruno Fernandes yet again pointing and moaning instead of affecting the game.
United’s midfield overrun, the Reds’ under-siege backline in such a chokehold from West Ham’s relentless attacks that you could almost see them trying to mouth their safe word.
Never mind the Carabao Cup win and the FA Cup Final place papering over the cracks. Both confirm Ten Hag has worked wonders to restore confidence, clinch silverware and manoeuvre United into a position through which they could finish with a Double.
Concentrate instead on the numbers. United have now won on just one of their last eight trips to London - against Fulham in November. Away to teams in the top ten they’ve taken just four points from 27. They’ve scored only 49 goals, three fewer than Brentford.
Without the class of Rafael Varane and the industry of Lisandro Martinez, they couldn’t win an egg and spoon race.
For his winner, Benrahma was allowed to grab the ball on the half way line, run at Luke Shaw and Lindelof and let fly from so far back he was in nearby Docklands. De Gea was slow to react and has now made four errors leading to a goals in all competitions this season - the joint-most of any Premier League player, along with Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris.
United did have early chances. But Fernandes, Antony and Christian Eriksen all sent efforts diagonally wide when they should have scored in the first 15 minutes.
After that, West Ham terrorised them. The superb Michail Antonio bullied defenders to create chances spurned by Jarrod Bowen. David Moyes’ men were then denied a penalty when Benrahma’s attempted cross was punched by Lindelof. Questions must be asked as to why neither referee Peter Bankes and VAR Stuart Attwell - him again - refused to correct the clear and obvious error.
Also as to why Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan Bissaka were allowed to continue after sustaining head injuries which stopped play for several minutes so that they could be treated. Are we serious about concussion substitutes or not?
United’s first shot on target came 11 minutes after half time from Wout Weghorst, substituted soon afterwards for Martial. It says it all. West Ham will easily be safe. United should get down on their knees and be thankful that their next three games are at home.
