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In a shocking continuation of their downward spiral, Manchester United have sunk to new lows, a stark contrast to the days of their former manager David Moyes, who now seems to have the upper hand.
A decade on from Moyes’ ill-fated tenure, the team’s situation appears more dire than ever post his dismissal.
In a dismal performance this Saturday, United succumbed 2-0 to West Ham, a result that’s increasingly becoming a common occurrence rather than an exception.
This season’s tally reveals a concerning trend with nine defeats in 18 Premier League matches, and a worrying lack of goals, having failed to score in their last four matches across all competitions.
Despite a lackluster beginning in East London, United did show some promise towards the end of the first half. However, their inability to capitalize on opportunities, particularly Alejandro Garnacho’s missed chances, was glaring.
Rasmus Hojlund, with a goal per minute ratio in the Premier League worse than Wout Weghorst’s for United (zero in 11 starts), was ineffective in creating any real threat.
The game’s trajectory shifted when Jarrod Bowen, capitalizing on weak goalkeeping from Andre Onana, scored for West Ham. Post that goal, United’s chances of a comeback seemed bleak.
The situation worsened when Kobbie Mainoo’s error led to Mohammed Kudus sealing the win for Moyes against his old club.
Player ratings are as follows:
Andre Onana (5/10): While his footwork was commendable and he made a notable save, his weakness in Bowen’s goal was a letdown.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5/10): Solid in defense, but lacked the offensive impact of the suspended Diogo Dalot.
Willy Kambwala (5/10): Confident on his debut, showing strength despite the loss.
Jonny Evans (5/10): Stood out as one of United’s better performers.
Luke Shaw (6/10): The best on the field for United, but his efforts remained unmatched.
Bruno Fernandes (4/10): A disappointing game, contributing little of significance.
Kobbie Mainoo (4/10): Was effective until a costly mistake led to a West Ham goal.
Scott McTominay (4/10): Had minimal involvement in the game.
Antony (4/10): Showed decent link-up play and defensive effort but lacked the final product. Did create a notable chance for Garnacho.
Rasmus Hojlund (3/10): Failed to make an impact, with no attempts on goal.
Alejandro Garnacho (4/10): Missed key scoring opportunities, both shots directly at Areola.
Marcus Rashford (3/10): Ineffective, unable to make up for Hojlund’s poor performance.
Facundo Pellistri (4/10): Displayed energy and determination but lacked quality.
Sergio Reguilon (N/A): Came on as a substitute for Kambwala in the 84th minute.
Christian Eriksen (N/A): Entered the game in the 87th minute for his first playtime post knee injury.
Erik ten Hag (5/10): His decision to start Kambwala, due to Varane’s illness, wasn’t the issue; it was the underwhelming performance from the more seasoned players.
