Manchester United have done it, although it was not so easy as some might have wanted it to be. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side managed to scrape by with a 1-0 win over West Ham United, courtesy of a Craig Dawson own goal early in the second half. United were the better team throughout and they did deserve to get three points, limiting West Ham to attacks that never made Dean Henderson make a save. It has been a while since Man United have won two Premier League games in a row and hopefully this is just the start of a longer run.
Here are the four things we learned from this match.
Defence Crucial In Getting Three Points
Maybe Man United deserved to win and maybe West Ham did not have a shot on target, but still, the Devils felt vulnerable with the midfield partnership of Scott McTominay and Fred being unable to fully protect the back line. But that is where Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire did their part of the job. With United so heavily weakened in the attacking areas, it was important to have sturdy defence – the Devils were never likely to score a handful of goals this time around.
Rashford Misses Key Chances
Marcus Rashford had some good opportunities on the night, but was unable to take them and score goals. It was not an ideal night for him, but one thing in this context was very important. Rashford was a big doubt for this game as he had ankle problems, but not only he started the game, he played full 90 minutes. That might further increase the risk of a new injury and Rashford should be applauded for his attitude. As far as goals are concerned, it will all come back to the young Englishman very soon. Hopefully against Milan next Thursday…
United Show They Have A Small Squad
What was stark throughout this match was Solskjaer’s resolve to not make any changes. United did not change anything and those who started had to play full 90 minutes. This time, that paid off, but it also painfully pointed to the fact how small of a squad United really have. The Devils were without Pogba, Cavani, Martial and rarely used Van de Beek and it already felt like there is no one else to improve things coming off the bench. Solskjaer’s options were Amad Diallo and Shola Shoretire, which further proves how limited this team is in attacking areas.
Devils Still Not Safe In Champions League Quest
In the end, it should be noted this win was very important to get, but it is not getting the Devils much closer to feeling safe about their place in the Champions League next season. That might sound odd considering Man United are sitting in second and that other teams have had big problems throughout the season, but in this chaotic campaign everything is possible. United have improved their gap towards fifth-placed West Ham to nine points, although the Hammers have a game in hand. Liverpool are still struggling and Everton and Spurs seem far away. But with nine games to go, United need to remain focus. The better results in the next few rounds, the sooner they will get to their goal, which could mean putting a bit more focus on the FA Cup and Europa League, competitions where Man United could actually win some silverware this season.
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