Ruben Amorim told his players that they cannot forget the premium because their D-Day looms up in Bilbao.
2024/2025 Premier League
0-2
- Soucek (26 ')
- Bowen (57 ')
Match report
Yet that is everything that someone is connected to Manchester United, now wants to do – because their domestic campaign goes from bad to worse.
Here they fell to a ninth defeat of the season – and a 17th in total.
The last time they lost there was the year that they were banned from the top flight – 51 years ago.
At least that will not happen this season, but they can let themselves count, luckily the lower three are so far away.
Otherwise it would have been a very uncomfortable end of the season for the men of Ruben Amorim who still have to reach the 40 -point brand.
With matches against champions that Chelsea and Aston Villa will still come, it can also easily get worse.
The prospect of ending 17th – only one place above the drop zone – is now very real.
And to think that they can still end up in the Champions League themselves if they can defeat Tottenham in Spain on 21 May.
Goals of Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen saw the men of Graham Potter a rare road-day triumph and jump their opponents in the table.
This was a painfully well -known story for United fans – they have seen this film in Prem so often this season.
Amorim made six changes and kept his fingers crossed, there would be no injuries – although that did not work as an important defender Leny Yoro, who wicked away early in the second half.
By that time, United was already lagging behind. They had started clear enough with skipper Bruno Fernandes who fired a few shots over the bar.
Upon his return to the starting line-up, Amad looked lively enough and picked ball from the sky, cut in and saw his shot saved by Alphonse Areola.
However, the visitors continued when the former United Defender Aaron Wan Bissaka surrendered a pass to Mohammed Kudus who got a low cross from the left side.
Soucek has brought the ball back smartly and although it took a deflection of the young defender Harry Amass while it found his way, he will certainly claim it.
It means that United has now admitted the first goal in 22 of their 36 Prem matches this season – they make life really difficult for themselves.
They could have been the same before the break when Manuel Ugarte switched a smart ball forward, but Rasmus Hojlund could not control it and the chance had disappeared.
After the break, some comic defense of United Kudus escaped on the left again.
This time his cross found James Ward Prowse whose shot was straight on deputy keeper Altay Bayindir.
Amorim had warned before the match of the importance of keeping his players fit with 10 days to go before the final.
So the sight of Leny Yoro – who has been an important part of their Europa League campaign – who kept his foot in clear pain, was the last thing he wanted to see.
The French defender, 19, started shaking out of his head and pulled his shirt over his head – and that will be a great concern for the Red Devils.
He only made his debut in December after a foot injury in the preseason, but has won the fans in recent months.
Because Luke Shaw also left, United had to organize themselves again at the back and they were wide open when the visitors doubled their lead just before the hour.
Ugarte was robbed in the vicinity of half the line, but then unexpectedly he made no effort to win it when Kudus saw his shot block, but it fell in the path of Wan Bissaka.
The ex-sizing man in the context of Jarrod Bowen to score a simple tap and definitely place the game outside the home team.
Amad saw a pass to Hojlund, but Areola quickly got out to close it.
And from the resulting corner, Sub Harry Maguire planted a free header wide from the post before he saw another saved by Areola.
Hojlund was again denied by the visitors when a free kick from Fernandes fell in the area in the area, but it would clearly not be their day.
But how often did we say that this season? Far too often.
Match -Events
0 'The game is about to start!
4 'Amad puts it away to Bruno, who curls a shot closely over the bar
8 'Kilman climbs the highest to the head, but his attempt is high
10 'Amad's Scot is refused and Bruno picks up the ball, but his effort is high
19 'Match event for Man Utd vs West Ham
26 'goal! Soucek takes Kudus' Cross & Nets up close! Man utd 0-1 west ham
29 'Kudus tries his luck from the reach, but his straight -footed shot is high
33 'Hojlund rifles a left shot over the bar after connecting with Amad
35 'Hojlund's effort is closely wide after locking a pass by Mount
46 'Bayindir saves the low shot of Ward-Prowse
52 'Maguire and Lindelof come in the action, to replace Shaw and the wounded Yoro
54 'Amad goes under the challenge of Soucek, but the referee takes no action
57 'goal! Bowen is expanding the management while Wan-Bissaka helps! Man Utd 0-2 West Ham
59 'Dorgu and Garnacho were sent instead of Mount and Ugarte
62 'Garnacho comes around the back of the cross of Amad, but his attempt is wide
73 'Kudus and Bowen go up for the introductions of Soler and Fullkrug
74 'Amad breaks forward and plays in Hojlund, but he was shot, is saved
77 'Maguire's header is stored
79 'Amazing salvation! Hojlund -recordings up close, but it is refused
89 'Highlight of Man Utd vs West Ham
Line-ups
Man Utd XI: Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Mount, Mazraoui, Altay Bayındır, Ugarte, Amad Diallo Traore, Højlund, Mainoo, Yoro, Harry Amass
Subs: Heaton, Eriksen, Casemiro, Lindelof, Maguire, Garnacho, Tyler Fredricson, Patrick Dorgu, Chido Obi-Martin
West Ham XI: Cresswell, Areola, VladimÃr Coufal, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Bowen, G. Rodriguez, Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Mohammed Kudus, Todibo
Subs: Fabianski, Füllkrug, Emerson, Soler, Mavropanos, Paqueta, Alvarez, Evan Ferguson, Luis Guilherme