92 minutes in with seconds ticking off the clock. It seemed certain that it would be another frustrating afternoon for the Red Devils as West Ham held firm.
But with just 30 seconds of injury time remaining, a hero stepped up. It was our very own Marcus Rashford who scored right in front of the Stretford End to secure all three points.
This last-minute winner was destined to happen when all three substitutes were on the move. Anthony Martial made a short pass to Edinson Cavani before crossing it to the far post where Rashford awaited.
Never giving in until the final whistle is blown — this is Manchester United.
It’s a much-needed victory to put United in fourth place. A victory that will boost the team’s confidence ahead of the international break and hopefully spark a winning streak. The Red’s triumph against the Hammers means Ralf Rangnick has earned back-to-back wins for the first time since his arrival. But there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Here are five things we learnt watching United clinch a crucial win.
Rashford’s Return
It was the last kick of the game — in Fergie time when Rashford secured not only a much-needed win but also a much-needed goal.
Rashford’s performances and body language on the pitch in recent times haven’t been something we’ve been accustomed to. It seemed as if he was feeling the pressure and wasn’t fully enjoying his football anymore. He was overcomplicating every movement, taking one touch too many and making poor decisions in the final third. His confidence was at an all-time low.
Rashford ended a three-month goal drought when he extended the lead against Brentford. But to have a match-winning moment like this will feel so much more satisfying and fulfilling.
No player in Premier League history has scored more 90th-minute winning goals than Rashford — the ultimate clutch player. I’m confident we’ll soon see him hurting teams again, breaking down defences with his lightning pace and runs in from behind.
Like Manchester, Rashford is Red.
starting to take control?
‘Control’ and ‘dominate’ are the buzzwords we’ve been hearing ever since Rangnick was appointed. Ironically, a controlled game is something we haven’t seen this season. Slow starts and lethargic performances have been a common theme.
However, we saw United winning the ball back and keeping a high intensity throughout the game. For once it looked like we weren’t being outplayed and were somewhat controlling the match for the full duration. There’s a better shape to the midfield and forward line in the 4-3-3 formation Rangnick chose.
For the most part, United had taken control possession-wise and gained greater territorial command. Having 57% possession against a well-organised West Ham side and a pass completion rate of 82.6% are positive signs.
However, the game was scrappy at times with both teams carelessly giving the ball away under little pressure. Rangnick should expect greater quality and movement off the ball moving forward.
DEFENSIVE STABILITY
For once David De Gea didn’t have to do much as his teammates put in one of the best defensive displays in a while. Raphaël Varane showed his class once again as he brought so much assurance to the backline. Michail Antonio’s explosive pace and physical presence can be a nightmare to defend against. But Varane seemed to handle him with ease.
His centre-back partner Harry Maguire has been subject to criticism for many sub-par performances over the past couple of months. However, he had a solid showing after winning all of his tackles, dominating aerial duels and making important clearances off the line. A standout moment for me came in the first half when Maguire stayed composed and expertly timed his tackle until Antonio, who was driving 1v1, lost control of the ball.
A major factor behind United’s solid defensive performance was that the midfield wasn’t overrun. The trio of Bruno Fernandes, Fred and Scott McTominary matched West Ham’s physicality in the centre of the pitch.
DIOGO DALOT
Offensively, Diogo Dalot possesses the technical ability to create chances and is a constant attacking threat to any opposition.
But what surprised me the most in this match was how much he’s improved on the defensive side of his game. Dalot won three out of four tackles in the first half which was the most out of any player on that pitch. His defensive headers in the box to deal with danger were executed well. He was also picking up central spaces to prevent the opposition from picking up pockets of space.
While his decision-making and crosses into the box were questionable, Dalot was a worthy contender for Man of The Match.
NO CREATIVE SPARK
One downside was that United was struggling to sustain an attack. This comes down to a lack of creativity amongst the players out wide and in the centre of the pitch. We heavily relied on Fernandes to dictate the tempo for every attack and feed the forward players.
With two of the most prolific strikers in Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch, we shouldn’t be struggling for goals. You need to get players in and around them, particularly in the penalty area. However, most of the players were impatient and decided to shoot from long range instead of trying to work the ball past defenders, create overlaps and make runs from the channels.
Despite this, I still somehow had hope right to the very last minute that we would score as the players showed a lot of heart. That’s a feeling that’s been missing for a while.
Nonetheless, the unity between the forward players needs to develop if United have any hope of putting together cohesive attacking patterns of play.