West Ham and Manchester United play out dreary Premier League stalemate
West Ham 0-0 Manchester United: Bar a feisty scuffle between Mark Noble and Paul Pogba at the end of the game, this was a match to quickly forget
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In the end, Manchester United may have got the point they needed to secure a second placed Premier League finish but this fixture was a typical end of season affair.
Jose Mourinho’s side had the better of a disappointing contest where Adrian excelled in the West Ham goal. Quality though was in short supply on an evening where the supporters of both teams appeared to be more on the beach than both sets of players.
United manager Jose Mourinho made eight changes to his side after being angry at the manner of their defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion last Friday. This was another chance to audition for an FA Cup final spot for the visitors but it was West Ham, who secured their safety last weekend, who started the brightest with Marko Arnautovic firing an effort straight at David De Gea.
United though appeared far more up for this game and Scott McTominay went close from distance after Manuel Lanzini had given the ball away cheaply while Jesse Lingard was next to go close, denied from 20 yards by Adrian.
The West Ham goalkeeper was keeping Joe Hart, free from illness and back on the bench, out of the side and showed just why. He made a superb double save to deny Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera, the second of which came off his leg and onto the post.
Aaron Cresswell was unfortunate to see a left footed effort at the other end just go wide but with little riding on this game the atmosphere was somewhat subdued, as have a lot of matches at the London Stadium this term.
Joao Mario was unfortunate to see his close range effort from Arnautovic’s cross just miss De Gea’s post while for United Paul Pogba also failed to find the target with a long range effort. Just before half-time, Jesse Lingard tested Adrian with another 25-yarder but Adrian was equal to the task.
At the start of the second half, Sanchez rounded Adrian but was then denied on the line by Angelo Ogbonna as United lacked conviction in their finishing. The low tempo of this game was continuing though and a long distance Lingard effort was gathered by Adrian at the second attempt.
United were proving to be the more likely as Pogba headed wide from Antonio Valencia’s cross and Mourinho’s men really should have scored when Chris Smalling failed to make proper connection on Lingard’s corner.
The loudest cheer of the night from West Ham followers came sooner after as Andy Carroll entered the fray as substitute. Pogba then went for a spectacular effort from the half way line which did not come close before the Frenchman drilled wide from the edge of the area after clever play by Sanchez.
Mourinho soon opted to send on Marcus Rashford, banished to the bench after a poor display against Brighton, in place of Lingard. United certainly had plenty of the ball but their continued struggles to break down West Ham’s defence will not have pleased Mourinho even if there was little riding on this encounter.
The hosts were still offering an occasional threat of their own on the break with captain Mark Noble drilling over from Arnautovic’s lay-off.
The game finally came to life late on as an altercation between Pogba and Noble, the latter who appeared to poke the former in the face sparking a brawl, both players picking up bookings.
That was about as much drama as there was in the whole 90 minutes. United may have secured second spot but their 19 points behind Manchester City tells its own story.
West Ham (3-4-3): Adrian; Rice, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Zabaleta, Kouyate, Noble, Masuaku (Carroll 66); Joao Mario, Arnautovic, Lanzini. Subs: Hart, Hugill, Obiang, Evra, Fernandes, Cullen.
Manchester United (3-5-2): De Gea; Lindelof, Smalling, Jones; Valencia (Bailly 90), Herrera, McTominay, Pogba Shaw; Lingard (Rashford 74), Sanchez (Young 90). Subs: Romero, Mata, Martial, Blind.
Referee: Jonathan Moss
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