Heading into a two week winter break, and three weeks away from Premier League action, United and West Ham faced off for the third time this campaign on Saturday afternoon. The previous two encounters had been of contrasting fortunes for the two sides, with United prevailing amidst late drama at the London Stadium in the reverse fixture before West Ham triumphed in the Carabao Cup.
The Hammers headed to Old Trafford in fourth-place in the Premier League, though victory for the home side would see them rise above David Moyes' men with a game in hand.
Certainly, it was again apparent that Ralf Rangnick was sold on the flexible 4-3-3 system. He opted for further continuity after increasingly encouraging patches within matches of late, making only the single change to the starting team. That solitary change was an enforced one, too; as revealed the day prior to the match, Victor Lindelof missed out due to the fallout from a break-in at his home during the Brentford victory. Hereby, Harry Maguire started, taking the captain's armband from Bruno Fernandes.
Scott McTominay and Cristiano Ronaldo overcame fitness concerns to maintain their respective spots, with no hard feelings shown from Rangnick towards the latter despite his reaction of disgruntlement having been substituted in midweek in the capital. Anthony Elanga started for the third consecutive match after his goalscoring showing at the Brentford Community Stadium.
A confident West Ham start nullified the renewed belief injected into Rangnick's United side by the second half flurry against Brentford, with Declan Rice proving a nuisance of a dictator as the centrepoint of Moyes' system from the outset. United did signify their own intent after breaking consequent of a stray Craig Dawson pass, though Mason Greenwood couldn't adjust his feet and saw his effort blocked routinely having cut inside.
Otherwise, it was the home defence that were tested to a greater extend early on, yet they stood firm and marshalled the early threat offered by the visitors. There was an instantaneous air of sharpness from Maguire on his return to the starting side, not putting a foot wrong as he made some crucial early interventions to dishearten West Ham. The United captain made a pair of exemplary challenges, matching the in-form Jarrod Bowen and showing his physical aptitude against Michail Antonio.
Rangnick's side had often struggled to weather such storms as West Ham's, but the regaining of stability in prompt fashion on Saturday provided encouragement with regards to defensive developments. With that, more purpose ensued from the hosts, proving committed to the cause. It was beginning to seem that the energy displayed against Brentford was carrying over after all.
Some attempts were derived from United, but nothing particularly clear-cut was engineered. On a creative front, it was early made apparent that there remained somewhat a disconnect. United's bid to create wasn't aided by a firm sea of West Ham bodies on hand to intervene, with their back line bolstered by the return of Kurt Zouma after injury.
Although creation was limited, United were exhibiting more controlled buildup and possession in general. There was more poise from those in red at times, with the space well-worked but patience often excessive to the extent that Rangnick saw his side become passive. Nonetheless, the ball was held sufficiently enough to allow West Ham minimal inroads. The issue was that the ball was often shifted too slowly to trouble their opposition, with United considerably more dangerous when upping the ante and passing with more pace.
Composure was often lacking in the final third, often after presenting some promising buildup play. Greenwood performed a silky pirouette to beat a man and find himself in space at one stage, though he panicked afterwards and poorly placed a pass in search of Ronaldo. Nothing summed up United's attacking passages more so.
It seemed to be a case of too many inept final balls, with numerous deliveries into the box failing to even beat the first man (or at least the first few men). Whenever the final ball was better, it was often the case that there were not enough options to greet it. Typically, West Ham made it even tougher by being incredibly difficult to break down, holding little possession themselves yet always set for the break - which United restricted the threat of well.
The underlying insistence within the United outfit was encapsulated by one particular forward-thinking passage, with a threatening inswinging Fernandes cross from deep on the left side aimed towards an intelligent Ronaldo run. Somehow, the recipient was unable to get a touch on the teasing delivery. However, it was living proof that West Ham could be unlocked by sufficient quality and interconnection.
United were up for it. The home side were matching their counterparts with aggression, achieving the necessity of at least matching West Ham in the physical department.
Further half chances were generated by United, but there was nothing anywhere near as concrete as Ronaldo's missed header. Regardless, there were still signs of a continually evolving attitude from Rangnick's side compared to a few weeks prior. Furthermore, the unit appeared more cohesive, even if there were still too many sideways passes as opposed to the playing of an earlier forward ball.
No matter, better opportunities had to be created by United, and with consistency. This was tough to achieve when Fernandes was forced to drop very deep on a regular basis just to get hold of the ball.
It was one of David de Gea's quieter first halves in a lengthy period of time, with his defence offering a staunch protective guard. Similarly, though, Alphonse Areola was untroubled on his Premier League debut as United struggled to figure out how to exploit West Ham's back line. Moyes had his defence arranged in a structured manner, contributing to United's lack of creation - though there remained too many miscues of their own doing that halted the home side's progress.
For only the second time, United managed to unlock West Ham as the half drew towards its close. Alex Telles picked out a defence-splitting Ronaldo run in exceptional fashion, with Zouma wrapping his arms around the striker in attempt to rectify being caught out. There was a massive penalty shout, but VAR dismissed the incident and deemed Ronaldo had gone to ground with profound ease. It was clumsy by the centre back nevertheless and, as at the London Stadium earlier in the season, Ronaldo was denied a possible penalty. Maybe rightly, he felt aggrieved, and Jonathan Moss got the brunt of his fury.
United had been predictably in control throughout the first half against a West Ham side not synonymous for holding masses of possession, though the London outfit were willing on the break. However, applying to both sides, little was created, though United's dominance was expressed through their five shots as opposed to West Ham's solitary effort. Even so, United often lacked the quality of final ball again, with the end product eluding Rangnick's side as they (and West Ham) were unable to muster any efforts on target.
By contrast, United came out probing with greater threat at the start of the second half. There was a greater influx of intensity off the back of the juncture, with United reinvigorated after the opening period petered out slightly.
There was a moment of fortune for Fred, with a dummy disillusioning Rice and leading to the ball ricocheting into his path inside the box. United finally achieved their first shot on target from this, though Fred's effort, despite being struck well, was relatively routine for Areola to deny. It had taken 49 minutes for the home side to engineer a shot on target.
United continued to defend well, though Bowen was once unmanned and able to strike from the edge of the box following a corner, with the hosts let off as he could only find the side netting. Maguire had predominantly seized the opportunity in Lindelof's unfortunate absence, but was booked for a wild lunge on Bowen. He was the dangerman.
Still, West Ham's threat was bit-part and sporadic, with much more about United's game. Rangnick's side continued to attack and break with more purpose than prior to the pause, with passing more incisive. Some of the rougher edged had been smoothed, with chances coming - execution was the only, and predominant, issue. There were a number of needless efforts unleashed from range by an array of personnel, something growing more and more problematic as the half progressed.
Rangnick's intent to continue the improvement shown in the opening exchanges of the second 45 minutes was shown by his first alteration just after the hour mark, with Elanga making way for Marcus Rashford to a standing ovation.
Rashford was introduced with hope of replicating his impact against Brentford, with early desire signifying that could well be the case. He was driving at players with more belief, drawing a yellow card for an otherwise faultless Rice. Rashford had been criticised for seeming to lack hunger recently, but that was not the case at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The game grew more open into the depths of the second half, with United still in control and hemming West Ham back at times, but the visitors still poised to pounce on the break. Still, neither goalkeeper was being tested to any significant extent.
United, with all of their possession, were in need of some extra spark to give some extra cutting edge - their efforts remained speculative and optimistic as though a marker of desperation. Wastefulness was prevalent again, with a further, better ball often opted against. It was a cause of frustration, with outright opportunities hard to come by.
Shortly past the 80 minute mark, Rangnick made a double change. It was an attacking move from the German, with Edinson Cavani replacing Fred. Anthony Martial, after recent controversy, was introduced in place of Greenwood to a very mixed reception.
The cavalry were on for the closing stages, with Rangnick's intentions clear with the game there for the taking. Cavani joined Ronaldo to lead the line, with Martial out wide on the left hand side, which had strangely been latterly occupied by Greenwood as opposed to Rashford. The onus was on McTominay to take sole control in the midfield, with Fernandes aiding him in a newfound 4-4-2 setup.
With the risk taken by Rangnick, there was greater susceptibility to counter attacks from West Ham, who won a corner through such means. From that, a flicked header from Tomas Soucek gave Moyes' side their best opportunity of the match, though it flew agonisingly wide with nobody able to convert at the far post. With minutes remaining, it was the best chance of the match. Life was resultantly reinjected into the West Ham ranks, with a Rice cross following a trademark forward surge forcing De Gea into making his most challenging save of the encounter.
Three minutes of injury time ensued. Fergie time. Now or never.
At the very death, Rangnick's changes came to avail, in a big way.
United had been pressuring after West Ham's late chances, though time ticked and desperation did grow. Bowen - one of the visiting side's brightest sparks - miscontrolled as West Ham attempted a push at the death, with Telles alert to launch the ball down the line in search of Cavani. The ball couldn't beat opposing substitute Ryan Fredricks, though his interception went awry and was picked up by Ronaldo, who had been a constant nuisance in the 'pocket'.
Fredrick's, in attempt to make up for his error, committed and left Dawson overloaded by Martial and Cavani; Ronaldo offloaded to the former, who took a few patient touches inside to drag Dawson away and create space for Cavani. The onrushing Uruguayan bided his time, timing his outside run impeccably to receive the ball from Martial in the vacant space, playing a first time ball across the face of goal and Areola alike. All that was left was for someone to tap home.
Marcus Rashford was the man.
The first of Rangnick's substitutes tapped into the empty net with the final meaningful kick of the game, bypassing Vladimir Coufal with a late run to get on the end of Cavani's ball towards the back post.
Delirium. Old Trafford was sent into absolute raptures. The goal was as late as they come. Cavani wheeled off with a roar - him and Martial had had the desired impact off the bench. Rashford finished off the move, meaning all three substitutes were involved in the goal. Rangnick was "very pleased" with their impacts - "all were involved, that makes it even more important."
He has now officially made a loan switch to Sevilla, but Rangnick was particularly impressed by Martial's influence. "Since we last spoke one-and-a-half weeks ago, I told him it's about being professional until the very last day no matter how long he stays or when he leaves," he said. "He's a top player - one of the best strikers in the Premier League. The way he has trained, and played, shows the professionalism I expect."
Anxiety momentarily rose as a VAR check was required to ensure Cavani was onside, though a second celebration swiftly proceeded as the striker was deemed onside by the finest of margins.
The goal was a marker of persistence, with eight more second half shots attempted by United in contrast to the first period. Prior to the goal, United's expected goals value was only 0.76 over a hefty 17 shots; in essence, only four or five of 100 efforts of each shot would have found the net. It was a marker of impatience, with frequent ignorance of better passes. However, the sheer quantity of shots do display United's dominance.
"We didn't always find the best solutions in the final third," Rangnick judged. "In the last 20 minutes we had too many shots on goal when there was no realistic chance to score. We needed to be a bit more patient."
The last gasp goal was only United's third shot on target, statistically deemed their only big chance of the game. It was timely.
The full time whistle blew to a third eruption, with Rangnick lauding the atmosphere around Old Trafford as well as the 'amazing' feeling within the squad. "Quite rightly the boys were celebrating" what he described as a "massive win".
Rashford view was that, "It is obviously an important goal and such late on is an amazing feeling. For any forward when you go through a patch of not scoring for a few games, when the goals do start coming back it's a great feeling."
It's now two goals in two matches off the bench for Rashford, who - with four - has become the player to have scored the most 90-plus minute winners for United in the Premier League.
"He is one of the top strikers in England," Rangnick insisted. "He has what every modern striker needs - speed, skills. Those two goals have raised the level of confidence within Marcus. Now it's about showing its on a regular basis. He can play a very important role."
Heading into the upcoming two week period without any action, Rangnick has finally achieved back-to-back victories. His record now reads six wins, with three draws and only the single defeat.
The manager's verdict on Saturday was, "To say I was convinced we would score is unrealistic but we took all the risks in the world to win. I think in the end we deserved to win. We are extremely happy with the performance and the level of physicality we played with bearing in mind we played three days ago at Brentford."
"Defensively, it was our best performance. Our counter pressing, trying to win balls back, physicality was outstanding. We didn’t allow them too many chances, and it was not easy against them."
West Ham were limited to only six shots - one on target - and no big chances. Maguire was certianly a big contributor to the defensive security on his return, reasserting a sense of authority. He completed every attempted tackle, winning seven duels (five aerially), also making five ball recoveries, four clearances and an interception. He also had the most touches, passes and passes into the final third on the pitch, completing six of nine attempted long passes.
Diogo Dalot continued to show he is getting better and better, week by week, match by match. He has been given a chance that he had never before been given, and he is grasping the opportunity to the maximum. He has been doubted defensively, but won seven duels whilst making six ball recoveries against West Ham, winning four tackles as well as making four clearances and two interceptions. He also created two chances, maintaining a passing accuracy of 86% overall and inside the final third.
Ultimately, Rangnick threw on his attacking cavalry, and United sent Old Trafford into ecstasy at the very death after a performance defined by growing control. It was the pinnacle of footballing drama.
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