Manchester United endured a frustrating 2-1 defeat against West Ham on Sunday, with missed opportunities and a controversial refereeing decision contributing to the pressure mounting on manager Erik ten Hag.
In a first half where they dominated possession and created clear chances, United failed to capitalize, with notable misses from Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, and Alejandro Garnacho, who hit the bar. West Ham took the lead in the second half through Crysencio Summerville, who scored after a loose ball fell kindly for him. Casemiro equalized shortly after, but the match turned in stoppage time when VAR prompted referee David Coote to review a challenge by Matthijs de Ligt on Danny Ings. Coote awarded a penalty, which was converted by Jarrod Bowen to secure the victory for the Hammers.
West Ham’s win elevates them to 11 points in the standings, putting them above United, who now sit also with 11 points and have lost three of their first nine matches this season.
Despite the loss, the primary focus post-match will likely center around the contentious penalty decision. Many believe that United should have been out of sight by halftime, given their dominance, yet their inability to convert chances left them vulnerable. As ten Hag attempts to instill a more attacking mindset, his team’s lack of finishing—eight goals scored in nine Premier League outings—remains alarming, especially considering their expected goals tally suggests they should have netted closer to 15.
Looking ahead, West Ham will face Nottingham Forest in their next league match on Saturday, November 2, while Manchester United will host Chelsea on Sunday, November 3.