Manchester United squandered another opportunity to secure a vital Premier League victory, held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by West Ham United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Soungoutou Magassa's composed 87th-minute finish earned the visitors a deserved share of the spoils, cancelling out Diogo Dalot's second-half strike and extending the Reds' run of underwhelming performances.
A Sluggish Start Sets the Tone
The match began inauspiciously for Ruben Amorim's side, who lacked intensity from the first whistle. Young defender Ayden Heaven exemplified the early nerves, receiving a yellow card for a poorly-timed challenge on Jarrod Bowen and later playing a dangerously fierce back-pass that goalkeeper Senne Lammens could only slice out of play.
United's play was pedestrian for much of the first half, failing to force a corner until the 25th minute. That brief spark led to a Joshua Zirkzee effort being cleared off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but West Ham, marshalled by the excellent Bowen, rarely looked troubled.
The most notable feature of the opening period was captain Bruno Fernandes' ongoing dispute with referee Andrew Kitchen, who was taking charge of his first Manchester United match.
Dalot's Joy Quickly Turns to Despair
The quality of the contest did little to bolster arguments about the Premier League's current vintage, with the game littered with clumsy fouls and errant passing. Against this backdrop, Diogo Dalot thought he had won it for the hosts just before the hour mark.
The Portuguese full-back showed smart instincts to turn and finish after a miscued Casemiro shot fell to him inside the penalty area. It was his first Premier League goal at Old Trafford and his first in the competition for 18 months.
However, rather than kick-starting a commanding finale, the goal prompted a resilient response from Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham. The visitors created several half-chances before finding their late leveller.
Set-Piece Woes Strike Again for Amorim
The equalising goal will have infuriated United's coaching staff, as it originated from yet another set-piece failure. From a West Ham corner, Jarrod Bowen rose unchallenged to power a header towards goal, forcing a desperate goal-line clearance from Noussair Mazraoui.
The rebound, however, fell kindly for Soungoutou Magassa, who kept his nerve to slot home and silence Old Trafford. The goal was no less than West Ham's endeavour warranted and highlighted United's persistent defensive fragilities.
The final whistle was met with a smattering of half-hearted jeers from the home support, mirroring the lack of conviction shown by their team in seeing out the game. The result leaves United's top-four ambitions still within reach but continues to raise serious questions about their consistency and resilience under Amorim.
