From Sports Desk
Manchester United’s grip on securing a UEFA Champions League spot was weakened on Sunday, as they suffered a 1-0 away defeat against West Ham.
The pivotal moment came when goalkeeper, David De Gea, allowed a hopeful shot from Said Benrahma to slip over his glove, condemning Erik Ten Hag’s team to a consecutive 1-0 loss. As a result, their lead over a rapidly advancing Liverpool has been reduced to just one point, albeit with a game in hand.
The match started inauspiciously for De Gea as his poor clearance fell to the feet of Declan Rice, who was only stopped by a last-ditch tackle from Wout Weghorst. Despite efforts from Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Antony, it was West Ham who broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. Benrahma’s shot lacked power, but it eluded De Gea’s grasp, finding the back of the net.
The Red Devils had a stroke of luck when VAR dismissed West Ham’s penalty appeal, despite Lindelof clearly handling the ball. In the second half, United narrowly avoided conceding more goals. De Gea went down under a challenge from Michail Antonio, who managed to put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be disallowed due to offside. While Weghorst mustered United’s first shot on target, it posed no threat to Lukasz Fabianski.
A Tomas Soucek volley hit the post and his subsequent header was ruled out for offside. Late saves from Fabianski denied Rashford and Martial, leaving Ten Hag’s side with little to show in their 57th match of a grueling season that may be taking its toll. West Ham will face AZ Alkmaar in Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday, while United take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
