Manchester United 3 West Ham 1
Aguerd (77 og), Garnacho (90), Fred (90’+5) | Benrahma (54’minutes)
[ Highlights | Post-Match Reaction ]
Manchester United fought back from a goal down against West Ham at Old Trafford, scoring three goals late in the second half to qualify for the FA Cup quarter-finals. They will face Fulham next. Again, at Old Trafford.
After a first half where neither side looked like scoring, Benrahma opened the scoring for the visitors. United had presumed the ball had gone out of play without playing to the whistle, and West Ham punished them for that schoolboy mistake. Emerson used the time and space to play a ball to Benrahma, who made no mistake with a curled shot around DeGea. West Ham could have scored another couple. A cross-shot that any touch would’ve turned in was followed by Antonio’s bad decision to try to score when it was easier to square the ball for his free teammates.
They would rue spurning those chances. United came close to equalising after seventy minutes. Garnacho’s turn beat his marker, who had no option but to foul him. It should’ve been a yellow card. Bruno swung the freekick in from wide on the left, and Casemiro thundered the header home. The Brazilian had strayed offside, and eventually, VAR disallowed the goal. It had given United a taste, though. The pressure built from United until West Ham broke, and Aguerd turned Fernandes’ dangerous corner into his own goal under pressure for Weghorst.
West Ham almost hung on for extra time. In the ninetieth minute, Garnacho’s beautiful first touch set himself up to bend a beautiful strike around the goalkeeper to win the game. The goal completely broke West Ham. In extra time, Fred poured salt in their wounds with a third goal after more Weghorst pressure forced a mistake from a defender. United were worthy of the win thanks to their second-half display but will hope bad starts aren’t becoming a habit.
Manchester United:
De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Malacia, McTominay, Sabitzer, Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho, Weghorst
Subs: Heaton, Martinez, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Fred, Pellistri, Elanga, Rashford
West Ham:
Areola, Palmieri, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Johnson, Paqueta, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma, Fornals, Antonio
Subs: Cresswell, Scamacca, Downes, Bowen, Kehrer, Anang, Swyer, Mubama