Key events
Nuno Espírito Santo speaks to TNT Sports. “We are organised and competing better … a lot of commitment from the players … enjoying the game … we cannot ignore the way Man United play … they are in a very good moment … a good dynamic … to have an extra body in midfield [in Freddie Potts] can help us … we start with three in the middle, let’s see how the game goes … [Manchester United] have a player that can unbalance everything in Bruno Fernandes, so we have to be really spot on.”
Manchester United haven’t had much luck against West Ham of late. This fixture last season was the straw that did for Erik ten Hag’s camel …
… and West Ham nearly saw off Ten Hag’s successor in short order when completing the league double over Manchester United towards the tail end of the campaign …
… but Amorim held on. For a bit. He’d last barely a month after this …
… and so now West Ham are in a position where they’re facing a third Manchester United manager in 14 months. If they avoid defeat tonight, they will be four unbeaten against the Red Devils across two consecutive campaigns for the first time since 1932-33/1933-34.
Both teams are in a good place right now, so changes to the starting XIs are thin on the ground. West Ham make one after their win at Burnley last weekend: Freddie Potts comes in for Callum Wilson, who drops to the bench. Manchester United meanwhile are again unchanged, naming the same starting XI for the third game in a row, after their home victories over Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.
The teams
West Ham United: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf, Soucek, Fernandes, Potts, Summerville, Bowen, Taty.
Manchester United: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Fernandes, Cunha, Diallo, Casemiro, Mainoo, Mbeumo.
Preamble
Manchester United’s current form under Michael Carrick has been well documented. However West Ham’s isn’t half bad either: three wins out of the last four for the Irons, with the single loss a staunch showing at in-form Chelsea. Throw in the fact that West Ham, fighting for their Premier League status, have won each of the last three stagings of this fixture, while Manchester United have emerged victorious from their last two visits to London, and this is balanced rather deliciously. Kick-off is at 8.15pm GMT. It’s on!
