Manchester United narrowly averted another loss of points in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. The team of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was on the same level for a long time visiting West Ham United, but still won the match via Jesse Lingard: 1-2. Cristiano Ronaldo equalized after Saïd Benrahma had somewhat fortunately put the home team ahead. Mark Noble missed a penalty in stoppage time after being brought in especially for that moment and making his first minutes of the season. With the win, United shares the lead with Liverpool, which already won on Saturday.
The duel with West Ham meant a good prospect for Ronaldo, as the hammers as one of the favorite opponents counts for the Portuguese superstar. He has been directly involved in six goals in his last four Premier League games. This time, however, United were nowhere to be seen in the initial phase. The team was very sloppy in possession and barely managed to create chances. The first opportunity of Jarrod Bowen’s game was narrowly saved by United.
??????????? ????????????????! ?? He brilliantly shoots Manchester United ahead, against West Ham United ??#ZiggoSport #PremierLeague #WHUMUN pic.twitter.com/LDeT4efAR7
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) September 19, 2021
After David de Gea kept Bowen from a goal with an excellent save not much later, it was hit after half an hour. Bowen served Benrahma about twenty yards from goal, who saw his shot deflected through Raphaël Varane’s belly: 0-1. However, West Ham could not enjoy the lead for very long, as the score was already tied five minutes after the opening goal. After a measured cross from Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo managed to beat Lukasz Fabianski from close by in two instances: 1-1.
In the second act, the game could have gone either way. Ronaldo saw a shot being taken and begged in vain for a penalty fifteen minutes before the end. In an attempt to force something, Solskjaer brought Lingard inside the lines in the final phase. The attacker, who was the big schlemiel in the Champions League against Young Boys with a big mistake, took sporting revenge in the absolute final phase. The midfielder pulled in from the left side of the field and found the top right corner: 1-2.
INCREDIBLE! ?? What a final piece…?? West Ham United get a penalty, Mark Noble comes in to take the staff kick… but David de Gea stops it! ?? Final standings: The Red Devils win 2-1 ??#ZiggoSport #PremierLeague #WHUMUN pic.twitter.com/sSMaOAvOVM
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) September 19, 2021
As if that wasn’t enough, Ronaldo thought of a penalty kick two minutes later. The Portuguese said he was knocked down and screamed murder, but did not get the penalty. On the other hand, the ball went on the dot after a handball from Luke Shaw. Arbiter Martin Atkinson placed the ball at eleven meters after the intervention of the VAR and saw how De Gea turned the penalty from Noble and became man of the match together with Lingard.
| No. | Team | m | W | G | V | +/- | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 13 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 13 |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 10 |
| 6 | Everton | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 8 | West Ham United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 9 | Brentford | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 11 | Watford | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -2 | 6 |
| 12 | Leicester City | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 6 |
| 13 | Arsenal | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -7 | 6 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 5 |
| 15 | Southampton | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | -2 | 4 |
| 16 | Wolverhampton W. | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| 17 | Leeds United | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | -7 | 3 |
| 18 | Newcastle United | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -7 | 2 |
| 19 | Burnley | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -6 | 1 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -12 | 0 |