Manchester United will be looking to secure back-to-back Premier League victories as they host West Ham United at Old Trafford this Thursday evening. The match, which kicks off at 8pm and is live on Sky Sports Main Event, sees the Red Devils aiming to build on their morale-boosting 2-1 comeback win at Crystal Palace last Sunday.
Form Guide and Managerial Pressure
Ruben Amorim finally saw a positive response from his Manchester United side at Selhurst Park. Second-half strikes from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount overturned a deficit created by Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half penalty, ending a concerning three-match winless streak. The victory provided a glimmer of consistency in what has been a challenging debut season for the Portuguese manager at the helm.
United's campaign has been characterised by unpredictability, with six wins and three draws from their opening 13 league games offset by damaging defeats to rivals Manchester City, Brentford, and Everton. This inconsistency has led major betting sites to price them as 3/1 outsiders for a top-four finish.
For West Ham, the visit to Manchester follows a 2-0 home loss to Liverpool, which halted their own three-game unbeaten run. Under the guidance of Nuno Espirito Santo, who replaced Graham Potter earlier in the season, there has been a noticeable improvement in performances. Despite this, the Hammers remain embroiled in the relegation conversation, with odds of 7/5 available on them suffering the drop this season.
Historical Head-to-Head and Key Trends
The recent history between these two sides makes for grim reading for Manchester United supporters. West Ham have won four of the last five Premier League meetings, a stark contrast to the 28 games prior. United's most recent triumph came in February 2024, a 3-0 home win powered by goals from the since-departed Rasmus Hojlund and a brace from Alejandro Garnacho.
West Ham completed a league double over United last season, including a significant 2-0 victory at Old Trafford in May. That result ended a 16-game winless league run at the Theatre of Dreams for the Hammers, stretching back to 2014. They have not won consecutive top-flight matches at Old Trafford since March 1934, a statistic the bookmakers doubt will change, pricing an away win at 11/2.
Amorim's home record is a cause for concern. In 19 Premier League home games since his appointment in November 2024, he has suffered nine defeats. Should United lose on Thursday, Amorim would become the fastest manager in the club's history to lose 10 home top-flight matches, breaking a record set by Alfred Albut between 1892 and 1894.
Predictions and Key Player to Watch
Given West Ham's poor away form—winless in four on the road since August—and United's defensive vulnerabilities, a popular prediction is for a United win with both teams to score. This outcome is priced at 9/5 with BoyleSports. United have conceded in each of their last six matches, while West Ham have found the net in four of their last five.
The main threat to the United defence will likely be Jarrod Bowen. The West Ham captain scored in both victories over United last season and has three goals in his last four appearances against them. The last Hammer to score in three consecutive games against United was Jermain Defoe over two decades ago. Bowen, who has three goals this term, is 19/5 to score anytime and 13/8 with Bet365 to score or assist, as he aims to bolster his case for England's World Cup squad.
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