Manchester United missed the chance to go fifth in the Premier League as it was held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham United at Old Trafford on Thursday, keeping the Hammers in the relegation zone.

After a scrappy goalless opening half, the host side took the lead in the 58th minute through Diogo Dalot, but West Ham’s Soungoutou Magassa equalised seven minutes from time, leading to boos from home fans at the final whistle.

Man United is eighth in the standings on 22 points, while West Ham remains 18th on 12 points, two adrift of Leeds United at 17th spot.

West Ham had the best of the opening half-hour, played at a pedestrian pace, but never really threatened before the home side began to take control.

Bryan Mbeumo played a one-two from a short corner before trying a looping shot from outside the area, which sent West Ham ‘keeper Alphonse Areola scrambling to tip it over the bar.

Amad Diallo put a ball across the box, which Joshua Zirkzee sent towards the goal with his thigh, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka headed it off the line. Seconds later, Bruno Fernandes’s effort skimmed the outside of the post.

Wan-Bissaka was a rock at the heart of West Ham’s defence against his former club, putting in crucial challenges and keeping his side level going in at the break.

Magassa shot into the side netting early in the second half before United found the opener. An attempted shot from Casemiro took a deflection, and the ball fell kindly for Dalot almost on the penalty spot, and he sent his shot on the turn past Areola.

The game looked to be petering out to a narrow win for the host, with West Ham never really looking like finding an equaliser until Jarrod Bowen’s flicked header from a corner was cleared off the line by Noussair Mazraoui, and Magassa smashed home.

Both teams sprang to life in the final minutes in search of a winner, and Fernandes was guilty of a couple of late misses. But a far from convincing performance from Man United ended in a disappointing draw.

Published on Dec 05, 2025