On 23 December, one of the matches of the 18th round of the English football championship took place. West Ham (London) and Man United (England) met.
English Championship, 18th round
West Ham (London) - Man.United (England) - 2:0 (0:0)
Goals: Bowen (72), M. Kudus (78)
Warnings: M. Kudus (43), Jonny Evans (45+2), Bruno Fernandes (51), Paqueta (74)
In an exciting Premier League match at the London Stadium, West Ham United hosted Manchester United. The match ended in a surprise 2-0 win for West Ham, leaving Manchester United empty-handed. The game had some tense moments, with both teams showing their skill and determination, but West Ham proved to be the dominant force. With the score at 0-0 at half-time it was obvious that both teams were on equal terms. The first half was characterised by solid defence from both sides, preventing any scoring opportunities. However, in the second half everything changed: in the 43rd minute West Ham player M. Kudus received a yellow card, demonstrating the physical component of the match. The rivalry between the teams became even more obvious when, just before the break, Manchester United player J. Evans received a yellow card. At the start of the second half, Manchester United's B. Fernandes joined his team-mate in receiving a yellow card in the 51st minute. The tension on the pitch was building and West Ham had a great opportunity to strike. In the 57th minute Manchester United made a substitution, replacing R. Hoylund with M. Rashford. In the 72nd minute, West Ham took the lead when J. Bowen scored, infuriating the home crowd. The atmosphere at London Stadium got hotter than ever as the Underdogs took the lead.
In the 73rd minute, Manchester United tried to get back into the game by replacing F Pellistri with Antoni, but their efforts were in vain. In the 78th minute, West Ham struck again when M. Kudus struck the opponent's goal, making the score 2-0 in favour of his team. As a result of this unexpected turn of events, Manchester United were stunned and looked for ways to get back into the game. As the match entered its final stages, both teams made several substitutions. In the 84th minute, Manchester United introduced V. Kambwala in place of S. Reguilon, hoping to salvage something in this game. In the 85th minute, they also introduced A. Garnacho in place of K. Eriksen, showing a desperate desire to score a goal. "West Ham", on the other hand, made the first substitution in the 87th minute, replacing J. Bowen with P. Fornals. Then, in the final minutes of the match, they made a second substitution: M. Kudus replaced B. Johnson in the 90th minute. When the final whistle sounded, West Ham were celebrating a deserved victory over Manchester United. The match exemplified the unpredictability of football, proving that anything can happen on the pitch. The only sour note for Manchester United came in the 90th minute when L. Shaw received a yellow card, adding insult to injury. Overall, it was an exciting match that demonstrated the competitive nature of the Premier League. West Ham's victory proves that no team should be underestimated, while Manchester United must recover quickly to maintain their position in the standings.
The following matches await the rivals in the next round: Arsenal - West Ham, Man United - Aston Villa.
| West Ham | Manchester United | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Shots on goal | 3 |
| 12 | Kicks | 11 |
| 3 | Blocked shots | 2 |
| 10 | Penalty kicks | 7 |
| 2 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 4 |
| 13 | Offences | 14 |
| 4 | Corner | 4 |
| 1 | Offsides | 1 |
| 35% | Ball possession | 65% |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 3 | Keeper saves | 3 |
| 309 | Total assists | 601 |
| 245 | Accurate assists | 513 |
| 79% | Transmission accuracy | 85% |