Andriy Yarmolenko, Aaron Cresswell, West Ham Stun Manchester United in EPL Win

West Ham United moved up to fourth in the Premier League table after beating Manchester United 2-0 at London Stadium on Sunday. 

Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Cresswell, who converted a free-kick brilliantly six minutes from time, were enough to help the Hammers see off a United side lacking ideas and chalk up a third win of the season.

Entertainment was in short supply during the first half, with both sides struggling to muster composure and quality on the ball. A number of players usually noted for their technical qualities, namely United playmaker Juan Mata and Hammers winger Felipe Anderson, couldn't find their radars or influence the game.

The moment of quality the game sorely lacked finally arrived as a turgid first half lurched towards its conclusion. It involved solid work between Noble and Anderson, ending with the latter playing in Yarmolenko, who finished well with his left foot.

While the goal was well-worked, some, including Duncan Castles of the Daily Record, saw reason to criticise the efforts of the world's most expensive defender, Harry Maguire:

Maguire was signed for £80 million from Leicester City in the summer to solve vulnerabilities at the back, yet United remain unable to keep the door locked on their travels:

United needed to do more going forward to ease the pressure on a creaking back four, but things hardly improved once the second half got underway. It didn't help when a player with 31-year-old Mata's experience somehow prodded wide from two yards.

Further efforts at improving the attack weren't aided by Marcus Rashford's withdrawl with injury, leaving Jesse Lingard to act as a makeshift centre-forward at the heart of a depleted forward line.

His presence raised questions about United's transfer business this summer, specifically involving the decision to sell Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan:

United's best route to goal looked like coming from set pieces, and so it proved as Maguire drew Lukasz Fabianski into a superb save after shooting from close range amid a scramble following a corner.

An inability to pose a credible threat in the final third was finally punished when Creswell curled a superb free-kick into the top corner just beyond David De Gea's grasp.

The wonder strike was enough to put United out of their misery and raise worrying questions about the strength in depth in the squad. By contrast, the Hammers look good value as a functional team with just enough technical quality in midfield to pose a serious threat to the established order of the top six.

What's Next?

United host Rochdale in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Hammers travel to face Oxford United in cup action on the same day.