Unconvincing Manchester United Still Find a Way to Beat West Ham United

Maybe this is the way it has to be this season.

It's not how games at Old Trafford usually go. It's not how games involving Manchester United usually go. But maybe, this season, this is how United are going to have to pick up their points.

Sir Alex Ferguson made a career out of guiding his team, almost effortlessly, through home games. There were teams that turned up at Old Trafford knowing they had already been beaten.

But not West Ham. Not this time anyway. The history books will show they were beaten 2-1, but the result doesn't tell the whole story.

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It doesn't show that Sam Allardyce's team was camped in United's half for much of the final 40 minutes, thanks in part to Wayne Rooney's red card. It doesn't show that United's 19-year-old debutant, Patrick McNair, was forced into a last-ditch clearance as the clock ticked down. It doesn't show that Kevin Nolan had a goal harshly ruled out for offside.

But on Saturday night, the Premier League table showed Louis van Gaal's team had another three points. It was only the squad's second win of the season, but it was much-needed after the collapse at Leicester six days earlier.

The defensive vulnerability that has been pored over for a week was on show at Old Trafford, even before Rooney was dismissed in the second half for a needlessly high challenge on Stewart Downing.

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There should have been little surprise, with Van Gaal forced to field a makeshift back four, only one of which, Rafael, had made more than four appearances for the club.

But it shouldn't be lost in the analysis of another unconvincing United display that they won the game. Even with senior centre-halves Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones sidelined with injury, and with 10 men for most of the second half, they still found a way to win.

"After the red card, we had to fight for the victory, and I have said to the lads you have been rewarded today because you fought until the end—and more than that," Van Gaal told ManUnited.com.

It is always a possibility when a team is able to field attacking players of the quality of Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie.

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United's forward line was too good for QPR, even if there were one or two nervous moments at the other end. It was too good for Leicester as well, until an inexplicable collapse in the final 25 minutes. The defence looked shaky against West Ham. But Rooney, Van Persie, Falcao and Di Maria had already done enough damage in the opening 22 minutes, opening a two-goal lead.

The situation Van Gaal finds himself in is not ideal. The idea is to score them at one end and keep them out at the other. But if you can't do both, which United can't at the moment, it's vital you score more than your opponent.

It wasn't pretty, but against West Ham, that's just what they did. And maybe, this season, that's just the way it needs to be.