Manchester United 1-1 West Ham United: 3 Key Talking Points

It was a point apiece at the sound of the full-time whistle as Manchester United and West Ham United’s tryst at Old Trafford ended 1-1. The Hammers struck late in the first-half as a Paul Pogba handball led to a penalty which Michail Antonio made no mistake in slotting past David De Gea.

The home side responded in the second-half via Mason Greenwood but were unable to muster enough attacking intent to secure all three points.

 

1. Unbeaten Run Continues

Manchester United have now gone 13 games unbeaten in the Premier League. This is their best domestic league run under Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s tutelage and it is only their recent loss in steam that has kept them still unassured of Champions League football.

At the mark of the full-time whistle, the Old Trafford outfit were teeming on the third position in the Premier League table, tied on points with Chelsea and ahead of Leicester City by a single point. As such, Solskjær’s men will need either a draw or a win away to Leicester at the weekend to assuredly secure Champions League football for next season aside from how Chelsea’s remaining games go.

 

2. David de Gea

Quite a few critics would have been surprised to see David De Gea start the game after his antics against Chelsea in the FA Cup. However, the Norwegian gaffer maintained his faith in the Spaniard who was unable to do much to keep out the penalty kick.

However, no big errors were made by him this game and he made two crucial saves that managed to deflate a rather resurgent West Ham in the second-half of the game.

 

3. Mason Greenwood – Teenager Extraordinary

Mason Greenwood’s strike was his 17^th goal in all competitions already this campaign. To put that in full perspective, the 18-year-old has now overtaken Paul Pogba’s 16 goals scored from last season which was on top of the side’s charts.

The fact that his fellow attackers Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are on 22 goals apiece could mean that the trident’s final tally, should their European games go well, could look quite impressive with Greenwood favored to reach the 20-goal mark himself.