Man Utd vs West Ham Premier League result and final score after Marcus Rashford heads winner - live
Manchester United 1-0 West Ham: Rashford’s first-half header proves enough to beat the Hammers
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A first-half header from Marcus Rashford, his 100th goal for Manchester United in all competitions, was enough to earn his side a 1-0 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League.
After making a slow start to the match, United burst into life in the 38th minute when Rashford powered a bullet header into the net on the end of Christian Eriksen’s sublime cross to give the home side the lead.
Veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo, making just his third league start of the season, wasted a golden chance to double United’s lead early in the second half, firing wide from a good position, before West Ham upped the ante.
The visitors piled on the pressure as the match wore on, with David de Gea twice called into action to deny West Ham substitute Michail Antonio, producing superb stops on both occasions. Another sensational save from De Gea to deny Declan Rice right at the death preserved United’s victory which takes them above Chelsea into fifth in the standings, one point behind fourth-placed Newcastle.
Relive all the action with our live blog below:
Man Utd 0-0 West Ham
11 mins: West Ham have a sustained spell of possession for the first time but there’s no cutting edge and Martinez shepherds the ball out for a goal-kick when Bowen chases one down the right channel.
Then, at the other end, a rare sight - Ronaldo pressing! He puts pressure on Fabianski who hurries a clearance towards halfway.
Man Utd 0-0 West Ham
8 mins: Nice work from Rashford, skipping a couple of tackles and feeding Bruno on the wing. West Ham keep their defensive discipline though and snuff out the attack.
United have dominated possession so far but no clear-cut opportunities yet.
Man Utd 0-0 West Ham
6 mins: Searching ball over the top from Maguire but Kehrer rises well to nod it back to Fabianski with Rashford lurking. Eriksen then tries similar and does find Elanga. Good touch from the forward but Zouma pressures him and a weak shot trickles harmlessly wide.
Man Utd 0-0 West Ham
4 mins: Nice ball down the right channel by Casemiro, giving Dalot space to roam. His low ball across the box is good but Rashford skews it wide with a poor connection. Ronaldo was waiting behind him and doesn’t look impressed.
Man Utd 0-0 West Ham
2 mins: Man Utd get their foot on the ball early and stroke it around at the back. Soucek then brings down Ronaldo to give the hosts an attacking platform but West Ham counter. Martinez reads it well and blocks Benrahma’s pass
KICK-OFF! Man Utd 0-0 West Ham
Underway at Old Trafford - United’s final game here until after Christmas.
Should be a good one.
Man Utd vs West Ham
The players are out at Old Trafford. Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo both in from the cold to start today - Maguire leading United out as captain.
Can West Ham spring the upset?
West Ham's road woes
West Ham have struggled away from home in recent times. They have kept just two clean sheets in their last 17 Premier League away games and, unsurprisingly, that has translated to negative results.
The Hammers have won just two of their last 14 matches on the road - losing 10 of those. It will be a big ask for them at Old Trafford this afternoon.
Man Utd vs West Ham stats
Manchester United have won their last four Premier League matches against West Ham. It's their longest winning streak against the London club since winning eight in a row between 2008 and 2012.
Meanwhile, West Ham are winless in their last 14 league trips to Old Trafford (D3 L11). Their last away victory over Manchester United in the league came more than 15 years ago, in May 2007 thanks to a Carlos Tevez winner.
Going even further back, the picture doesn't get any better for West Ham. They have lost more away Premier League matches against Manchester United than they have against any other side.
Antony’s controversial circus trick was the act of a true Manchester United winger
It was out near the same Old Trafford touchline, some 14 years ago now, that another Manchester United winger decided to dabble in a spot of showboating, writes Northern Football Correspondent Mark Critchley.
Four unanswered goals up against Arsenal with about a quarter of an hour remaining, Nani infamously embarked on a “seal dribble”, juggling the ball with his forehead as poor Justin Hoyte desperately tried and failed to keep up with him, and eventually crumpled to the floor, getting back up only to be beaten again.
Helped by the fact it was the pick of that year’s FA Cup fifth round ties and broadcasted to millions on terrestrial television, it was a largely inconsequential moment that has become an abiding memory, as has the fact that Nani was rebuked for his flamboyance by Sir Alex Ferguson in the dressing room afterwards. Nani was told “he didn’t need to do that”.
“Obviously, I agreed,” he later said. “I always follow the orders of my coach and am not interested in causing controversy.”
Except Ferguson was not always entirely consistent on the issue of his players taking the piss, and not even consistent on this specific instance involving Nani. A few months later during United’s most successful season since 1999, before the second leg of a Champions League quarter-final against Roma, the United manager was asked about accusations that Cristiano Ronaldo humiliated their opponents with unnecessary trickery at the Stadio Olimpico. “I don’t care,” came the response.
Antony’s controversial circus trick was the act of a true Manchester United winger
Antony was hooked just seven minutes after his double ‘spin skill’ – but there was a recent time when acts of swagger by the Old Trafford touchline were revered
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