Let the good times roll; West Ham 3-1 Manchester United

West Ham batter a Manchester United team in turmoil with a dominant performance. It was a drilled, structured, and more importantly confident showing from West Ham who took the game to United early and often securing all three points and continuing their string of good form.

Where do we begin? West Ham are finally buying into the structure that Manuel Pellegrini has been drilling into them for the last few months. Two noticeable strategies that West Ham used effectively that emphasize the Pellegrini effect were the high line and short passes.

The high line terrorized Romelu Lukaku in this match, catching him or his fellow attackers offside four times throughout the game. It’s a tactic Pellegrini used at Manchester City and has tried to implement here at West Ham. It was a rocky start but Diop, Balbuena, Zabaleta, and Masuaku all trusting each other enough to step up together is a great showing of training turning into results.

The challenge for West Ham was always going to be shutting down Lukaku who preys on West Ham for goals. Diop and Balbuena did this perfectly, combining their size and physicality to completely eliminate him from the game. The early pressure on the striker seemed to keep him off balance and unsettled enough for the midfield three to dispossess him.

Now to the goals…

It was imperative for West Ham to score early to add more doubt to a mentally fragile Manchester United team. With a sneaky (offside) wide run from Zabaleta and a low drilled cross, West Ham were on the board in just six minutes. The goal was a cheeky backheel flick that took de Gea out of the play and slotted home the opener and first goal for Felipe Anderson in the claret and blue.

The second was a well-worked ball from Yarmolenko. It’s credited to Lindleoff for an own goal as he deflected it over his keepers reach, but all credit should go to the towering Ukranian who took the ball from a throwaway position and walked it back to danger creating space and uncorking a left-footed strike.

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The third and final goal for West Ham was a cant-miss opportunity for Arnautovic. Wide open between two “center backs”, Arnuatovic took the patient and perfect through ball from Mark Noble and slotted it home passed a hopeless de Gea. It was the perfect justice for Arnautovic who was getting kicked and thrown down all match. The referee didn’t want to stop play or show a card on any of these undisciplined challenges so Arnie made a statement himself.

Possession stats were evened out in the second half. West Ham dominated play and the ball in the first half but the match ended with United taking 51% at the matches final whistle. The substitutions facilitated this with one less defender and two fresh midfielders coming on for Manchester.

Pellegrini used his substitutions more for show than necessity. Yarmolenko needed a rest but his 74th-minute substitution for Snodgrass allowed for a nice applause break for the impactful forward. Arnautovic received an even greater applause break when he was removed for Michail Antonio; no need to risk injury either. The final change saw Felipe Anderson give way to a massive applause as he performed extremely well, but his substitution also allowed for Macclesfield stand out Grady Diangana to get his Premier League debut.

Yes, you read that correctly. Manuel Pellegrini slipped in a debut for a 20-year-old player… against Manchester United.

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It almost goes without saying, but the midfield three were tremendous. Obiang was the least active of the three, but Noble and Rice dominated possession and allowed for such a spectacular performance by the front three. Rice put in his usual performance – quick on the ball, accurate passer, and successful tackler. He unsettled Pogba constantly.

Noble, though, was at another level. He put his body on the line constantly and tracked back on every attacking run Manchester United put forward, not to mention chipping in offensively with an assist. He is proving to be more and more invaluable to West Ham in each match.

Fabianski also knocked aside two balls in this match. Nine were taken towards his goal with one beating him. The save he made on Fellaini proves just how elite he is. Diving to his right to the bottom corner Fabianski slapped away a speedy downward header that looked like a sure goal.

It was a totally complete performance from West Ham. Sure, they did concede off of a lazy corner and Masuaku left us wanting more, but the London Stadium was rocking, all three forwards got involved in the goals, the midfield and defense were more than solid, and the points were comfortably secured by the Hammers.

Next. Oh Captain my Captain: The West Ham Story. dark

Up next is Brighton who are a tough team to play away. West Ham will need to keep the early pressure and high back line in action when they travel South. If they can bring their game plan down to the Gulls there is no doubt they can continue to collect points.