Manchester, May 11 (IANS) Manchester United suffered a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to West Ham United at Old Trafford. Goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen secured the victory for Graham Potter’s side, lifting the visitors above United into 15th place in the table.
Former United man Aaron Wan-Bissaka, returning to Old Trafford for the first time since his departure, was heavily involved in both goals. Despite several chances and sustained second-half pressure, the Red Devils were unable to mount a successful comeback.
Ruben Amorim rotated his squad following Thursday’s Europa League semi-final triumph, with Mason Mount making a rare start and Amad returning to the XI. United began brightly, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad testing Alphonse Areola early, but it was West Ham who broke the deadlock in the 26th minute through Soucek, after a clever move down the left. The second half brought more urgency from United, but their efforts were repeatedly denied by the excellent Areola.
A significant setback came when Leny Yoro was forced off injured, compounding the team’s woes. United continued to create openings, with Rasmus Hojlund and Harry Maguire going close, and Amad impressing on his return. However, West Ham doubled their lead just before the hour, as Wan-Bissaka dispossessed Ugarte and set up Bowen for a simple finish.
Late opportunities for Garnacho, Hojlund, and substitute Amass went begging, with Areola delivering a standout performance to preserve the clean sheet. Despite a flurry of corners and final attacks, United couldn’t break through and were left to rue missed chances.
United, alongside their Europa League finalists Tottenham Hotspur, both succumbed to defeat and fell down to 16th and 17th place in the league table respectively. After what can only be described as a challenging season, both teams will be hoping to gain some momentum before the final in Bilbao.
–IANS
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