United started brightly and aggressively, without De Ligt, but with Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee in the starting lineup. Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo created the most danger, and Zirkzee himself had a golden opportunity, only to see his effort denied twice by Aréola and Wan-Bissaka on the line. West Ham offered little in response before halftime, with only Jarrod Bowen making sporadic appearances.
Just shy of the hour mark, Diogo Dalot broke the deadlock. A shot from Casemiro ricocheted into his path, and the Portuguese calmly slotted it home. It was his first Premier League goal since May 2024 and his ninth in 222 appearances for United.
Manchester United Fragile Without De Ligt
However, the defense remained shaky. Leny Yoro had to intervene to thwart a major chance for the visitors and later almost became the villain himself after a sloppy play, a painful déjà vu of his mistake against Crystal Palace. Although they escaped unscathed then, the equalizer was clearly on the cards.
West Ham eventually struck through Soungoutou Magassa. After a corner that Mazraoui cleared off the line, the rebound found the net: 1-1. This marks the seventh consecutive game United has conceded a goal. Once again, Amorim's side squandered a match that should have been comfortably won.
Amorim Seethes with Frustration
Amorim was unequivocal after the match: "Anger, frustration. That's it." He felt that United lost control multiple times. "The game was there for the taking. We should have won," he stated. According to the Portuguese coach, his team not only needs to become more stable but also more effective: through Matheus Cunha, the game could have been decided much earlier.
Matthijs de Ligt Honored with Award
On the same day he was named Player of the Month, De Ligt was sidelined due to minor discomfort. The Dutchman is expected to be available again on Monday against Wolverhampton. With inconsistent results – three draws and one loss in their last five league matches – Amorim could certainly use his defensive stalwart.
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