West Ham United seeking three consecutive victories over United.
Manchester United vs. West Ham United kicks off at 20:00 [GMT] on Thursday, December 4, at Old Trafford.
Manchester United [WDDLW] return to Old Trafford following a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. They face a West Ham side that caused them real problems last season and arrive with every intention of repeating the trick. United’s recent record in this fixture tells the story clearly enough: four defeats in their last five league meetings with the Hammers is a dramatic shift from the years of dominance that came before. Last season’s 2–0 West Ham win at Old Trafford not only ended a long winless run in Manchester, but it also signalled that the gap between these teams had closed far more than many realised. United’s form in December hasn’t helped calm nerves. They’ve lost nine of their last 14 Premier League fixtures in the month, including their last three without finding the net. Rúben Amorim’s Old Trafford record also invites scrutiny: nine defeats in 19 home league games as manager, and another loss here would make him the fastest United boss ever to reach 10 home top-flight defeats. It’s a record the Portuguese manager would be keen to avoid on Thursday. Fortunately, there are small positives for United to cling to. Midweek games at Old Trafford have generally favoured them—they’re unbeaten in 17 consecutive Premier League home matches played on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Joshua Zirkzee in attack is expected against the Hammers.
West Ham [LWWDL] haven’t won back-to-back league games away to United since 1934, and doing so now would underline their growing belief under Nuno Espírito Santo. The Hammers completed the league double over United last season and could realistically make it three straight league victories in this head-to-head—a feat they last achieved in the mid-2000s. Luckily, they’ve lost only two of their 13 Premier League matches scheduled on a Thursday, and while most of those were London fixtures, their record shows they rarely shrink on these occasions. What may worry them is their being away form under Espírito Santo. Since arriving, they haven’t won any of their four league matches on the road, and the prospect of going five without a win would place Nuno in unwanted company. Individual battles could shape the night. Jarrod Bowen has scored in both league meetings with United last season and looks the most likely to stretch a shaky defence again. Bruno Fernandes, meanwhile, has never scored against West Ham in the league despite 11 attempts. A 3—4—3 formation with Bowen, Luis Guilherme and Callum Wilson in attack is expected. Lucas Paqueta is suspended for this fixture following a red card at the weekend.