The London Stadium sets the stage for a compelling Premier League encounter on Tuesday night as two resurgent sides lock horns, with West Ham United welcoming a rejuvenated Manchester United.
Both teams arrive in strong form. The Hammers are chasing a fifth win in six midweek fixtures after Saturday’s composed 2–0 victory over Burnley, while Manchester United continued their revival under Michael Carrick by dispatching 10-man Tottenham Hotspur by the same scoreline at Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s upturn in fortunes under Carrick shows no sign of slowing. Benefiting from another familiar red card shown to Spurs skipper Cristian Romero, the Red Devils once again married efficiency with control to claim all three points at the weekend. Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring from a clever corner routine before Bruno Fernandes sealed the result late on, extending United’s winning run to four consecutive matches under their interim boss.
Those victories have not come easily either, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Fulham also beaten during Carrick’s impressive spell. United remain firmly in fourth place, still ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool, and have cut the gap to third-placed Aston Villa to just three points, putting Champions League qualification firmly in their own hands.
Carrick’s case for the permanent job continues to gather momentum. United have scored at least twice in every match under his stewardship and are enjoying a prolonged attacking purple patch. The Red Devils have now found the net in each of their last 14 matches in all competitions, last failing to score in November’s home defeat to Everton. Their away form has also improved markedly, with just one defeat in their last nine on the road.
West Ham, meanwhile, are enjoying a revival of their own. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have taken nine points from the last 12 available in the league, significantly boosting their survival hopes. Saturday’s 2–0 win over Burnley was built on a sharp first-half display, with Crysencio Summerville and January signing Taty Castellanos both on target, while Mads Hermansen produced an inspired performance in goal.
That victory provided the perfect response to a painful defeat against Chelsea in the previous round. Sitting 18th, West Ham are now just three points adrift of Nottingham Forest and firmly back in the fight. Their recent run of four wins from five matches across all competitions already surpasses what they managed in the first 22 games of the campaign.
However, home form remains a concern. The Irons have won just one of their last 16 Premier League home matches against teams who played top-flight football the previous season. Still, there is encouragement in the fixture history: Manchester United have lost on each of their last three visits to the London Stadium, a streak West Ham will be eager to extend.
Injuries & Suspensions
Manchester United’s injury situation remains unchanged. Patrick Dorgu (thigh), Mason Mount and Matthijs de Ligt (back) are all sidelined, while Carrick may consider light rotation given the quick turnaround. Benjamin Sesko and Noussair Mazraoui are possible contenders for starting roles, but with no European commitments, most of Saturday’s XI should be ready to go again.Bruno Fernandes continues to pull the strings and is closing in on another club record. The Portuguese midfielder has already registered eight away assists in the Premier League this season and needs just one more to surpass Ryan Giggs’ long-standing record from the 2001–02 campaign.
West Ham also head into the match with a stable squad. Jean-Clair Todibo remains suspended, while veteran goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is still out with a back injury. Axel Disasi, who made his debut against Burnley following Todibo’s dismissal against Chelsea, is expected to start again and will make his home debut against his former club’s fierce rivals.
Jarrod Bowen boasts a respectable record against Manchester United, with three goals in his last five league meetings, while Summerville will look to continue a scintillating run of form, having scored in five consecutive matches across all competitions.
Possible Starting Lineups
West Ham United:Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Soucek, Potts; Bowen, M. Fernandes, Summerville; Castellanos
Manchester United:
Lammens; Dalot, Martinez, Maguire, Shaw; Mainoo, Casemiro; Diallo, B. Fernandes, Mbeumo; Cunha
Expert Prediction
West Ham 1-2 Manchester United
