
Man United slump to second straight league loss as De Gea mistake gives West Ham a big win
LONDON — Manchester United lost a Premier League game for a second time in the space of four days as they were beaten 1-0 by West Ham at the London Stadium.
After losing at Brighton on Thursday, United dropped more points in the race for the top four after David De Gea’s howler gifted West Ham a victory that all but ensures their Premier League survival, with 37 points traditionally good enough to avoid relegation.
Erik ten Hag’s team started well and had a host of chances in the opening 15 minutes, but West Ham took a lead in the first half and held on tight, when Said Benrahma’s weak shot from 20 yards was palmed into his own net by De Gea.
Rapid reaction
1. Man United limping towards the end of the season
The good news for United is that if they win their remaining three home games against Wolves, Chelsea and Fulham, they’re in the Champions League next season. The bad news is that they look like a team who have run out of steam at exactly the wrong moment.
This was their 57th game of a grueling campaign and it’s beginning to show, with just three wins from their last eight games in all competitions — one was on penalties in the FA Cup semifinal after a 0-0 draw with Brighton. The finish line cannot come soon enough. Liverpool are just a point behind in the race for the top four, but United have a game in hand and should still be favourites to qualify for the Champions League. It will concern some that this battle has suddenly become a lot more nervous than it should have been.
West Ham, meanwhile, have reached 37 points and should now be safe from the drop. The timing is perfect ahead of their Europa Conference League semifinal first leg against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday: David Moyes should be able to throw everything into reaching a European final without worrying about the Premier League clash with Brentford three days later.
2. Ten Hag has a decision to make with De Gea
Ten Hag kept De Gea as his No.1 this season because he had other priorities in the transfer market, and that may well be the case again this summer. But if United use most of their budget on a striker, then one budget-friendly option could be to bring back Dean Henderson after his loan spell at Nottingham Forest and give him a run in the first team.
De Gea has been a fantastic goalkeeper for more than a decade, but the time is fast approaching for Ten Hag to decide whether he’s good enough to help take United to the next level and challenge Manchester City.
3. Further proof that Rice would fit into any top-six team
It’s not often a player is so good that you can make a case for him improving every top-six side in the Premier League, but Rice is pretty close. He’s an outstanding No.6, but can also play further forward as a No.8; it would be no surprise at all if the biggest clubs in England were queuing up for his signature in the summer.
It’s clear too that Rice deserves a move. After more than 200 appearances for West Ham, he has done his time in east London and should really be playing Champions League football every week. Arsenal are keen, but so are Chelsea, and if Jude Bellingham ends up at Real Madrid, then both Manchester City and Manchester United should also be making enquiries about Rice’s availability even if his valuation is set at £100 million.
Rice, 24, was West Ham’s driving force against United, one minute sprinting back to tidy up an Antony attack and then moments later racing into the opposition penalty area and dancing around two challenges to ping an inviting cross into the area that should have resulted in a goal
The England midfielder has grown up at West Ham, but it’s time he was on a bigger stage.