Manchester United 2 West Ham 1

Manchester United 2 West Ham 1

Manchester United made a winning start to the Premier League Summer Series, beating West Ham United 2-1 in New Jersey.

Bruno Fernandes scored both goals, a customarily cool penalty early on and delightful second-half shot, to secure three points in the competition, at a sweltering MetLife Stadium.

Jarrod Bowen pulled one back for the Hammers, with a clinical finish, and was only denied an equaliser by a smart save from Altay Bayindir in the dying seconds.

Yet Ruben Amorim’s side, who left Bryan Mbeumo out of the squad as he builds up his fitness, were good value for the victory after an impressive team performance.

FIRST HALF – ENERGETIC REDS ON TOP

United made a blistering start, coming out of the blocks, almost scoring in the opening minute. Fernandes’s through ball was perfectly placed for Rasmus Hojlund to race on to and the striker advanced towards goal and fired a left-footed shot that hit the outside of a post.

Three minutes later, Alphonse Areola fumbled a high ball against El Hadji Malick Diouf’s back and it fell to Ayden Heaven. The defender was going away from goal but was brought down by the Hammers keeper to concede an obvious penalty. Fernandes calmly sent Areola the wrong way from the spot, finding the bottom corner in effortless fashion.

Amorim’s men continued to push forwards, with the lively Hojlund lashing over a decent chance, when the ball rebounded to him after his pass was cut out. Aaron Wan-Bissaka denied Fernandes an opening, when picked out by a superb long ball by Leny Yoro, and Matheus Cunha’s long-range dig was comfortable for Areola.

On the half-hour mark, Fernandes struck a dipping shot over the bar from outside the box, following an Amad pass, with West Ham offering little, bar an acrobatic attempt by James Ward-Prowse that came to nothing, after ex-Red Wan Bissaka’s deep cross was nodded back by Tomas Soucek.

Maximilian Kilman managed to block Cunha, following good perseverance by the summer signing, and a second goal seemed certain when Yoro attacked a Fernandes corner, only for his header to flash wide of the target.

United did find the net again, in the 38th minute, when the excellent Manuel Ugarte burst through to set up Amad but the Ivory Coast international’s assured finish counted for nothing as he was frustratingly flagged offside in a marginal call. There was a warning at the end of the half, though, when Soucek was unable to convert a header from close range, with Bayindir gratefully gathering the tame effort.

SECOND HALF – A WINNING START

Amorim’s side maintained the pressure after the interval and, within four minutes of the restart, Kilman was hassled out of possession by Hojlund, with Fernandes bursting clear to face Areola in a one-on-one situation. Unfortunately, the skipper failed to provide a clean strike and it was too close to the keeper, who saved, with Kobbie Mainoo then having an effort deflect for a corner. 

From the set-piece, Matthijs de Ligt’s header was clawed away well by Areola, from Fernandes’s hooked ball into the box.

A couple of minutes later, with 52 on the clock, Mainoo pounced on a stray pass out by Areola. Fernandes collected a pass and floated a quite beautiful finish, taking advantage of Areola being a little out of position with unerring accuracy and precision.

The east Londoners pulled one back, on 63 minutes, thanks to a thumping drive by Bowen. Jean-Clair Todibo fed Soucek, who picked out the England international and it was a clinical move that reduced the arrears.

Amorim changed every outfield player in the 66th minute and, as the Hammers also made a number of substitutions, it all became a little disjointed. However, with six minutes of normal time remaining, Luis Guilherme let rip with a ferocious drive that, thankfully, cleared Bayindir’s bar.

There was one other big chance, in injury time, when Bowen again fired goalwards, only for Bayindir to pull off a tremendous save to preserve the lead and three points, ahead of our next outing against Bournemouth, who beat Everton 3-0 earlier.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Bayindir; Yoro (Fredricson 66), De Ligt (Maguire 66), Heaven (Shaw 66); Amad (Dalot 66), Mainoo (Collyer 66), Ugarte (Casemiro 66), Dorgu (Leon 66); Fernandes (c) (J. Fletcher 66), Cunha (Mount 66); Hojlund (Obi 66).

Subs not used: Heaton, Munro, Kone, Mantato, Williams.

Goals: Fernandes 5 (pen), 52.

Booked: Yoro.

West Ham: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo (Mavropanos 71), Kilman, Aguerd (Scarles 79), Diouf (Guilherme 79); Ward-Prowse (Irving 79), Soucek (Fearon 79), Rodriguez (Potts 72); Bowen, Fullkrug (Paqueta 72).

Subs not used: Foderingham, Cornet, Walker-Peters, Casey, Marshall, Kante, Golambeckis, Orford.

Goal: Bowen 63.

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