West Ham United 2-4 Manchester United: Reaction and Talking Points
Incentive was on hand for both teams as West Ham United were looking to maintain their four game unbeaten run. Whilst Manchester United were seeking three points to solidify the English Premier League.
This slideshow will document immediate reaction and the talking points from the fallout of the match.
West Ham’s First Penalty
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Counterattacking from Ryan Gigg’s poorly taken corner, Manuel da Costa’s excellent vision found Demba Ba in the box. Going with momentum, Ba flicked the ball over Patrice Evra who inexplicably handled the ball.
There was no need for Evra to handle the ball but I guess when one is in a state of panic, one tends to make the wrong decision. Ironically 10 minutes later, Ba attempted to get away with handling the ball.
Referee Lee Mason awarded the penalty but didn’t book Evra. This act of leniency would foreshadow what would come later.
Mark Noble then sent Tomasz Kuszczak the wrong way with a well taken penalty.
Mark Noble's penalty ended West Ham’s run of 523 minutes without a goal against Manchester United in the Premier League. Wait.—OptaJoe
11 minutes in, West Ham United 1-0 Manchester United.
West Ham's Second Penalty
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With Manchester United controlling the match, West Ham's second penalty came against the run of play. Carlton Cole had possession of the ball and was either just in the box or just outside the box, but was halted by an incredulous piece of defending by Nemanja Vidić.
It was as if, Vidić had planned to hack Cole down and Vidić's protests wasn't against his tackle being "fair" or not. It was to say, well I hacked him down but it wasn't in the box.
Referee Mason pointed to the spot but again failed to book the transgressor. Noble stepped up and slotted another penalty. Martin Palermo should take penalty taking class 101 tutored by Noble.
Rumours of David de Gea being lined up to replace Edwin van der Sar have been swirling around, and these were two opportunities for Kuszczak to mount a case for him being handed the number one jersey. However on both occasions, he failed.
25 minutes in, West Ham United 2-0 Manchester United.
Referee Lee Mason Bottles It
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Manchester United had been looking like the side who were two goals ahead. Just moments earlier, Antonio Valencia had surged past several West Ham defenders.
West Ham launched a "Hail Mary," Ba is chasing down the ball and is pulled down by Vidić who was the last man. Referee Mason calls the foul, books Vidić but shows him the wrong card. Instead of showing him a red card, he showed him a yellow card, much to the dismay of Avram Grant.
It was a pretty simple decision to make but referee Mason bottled it. Then when you look at his previous two decisions, why didn't he book Evra or Vidić?
In hindsight if Manchester United were down to 10 men, it would have taken something incredible for them to mount a comeback and win 4-2. Though with 11 men, it's in Manchester United's DNA to come back from the dead. Just ask Ottmar Hitzfeld, Glenn Hoddle, Martin O'Neil and Mark Hughs.
""We have suffered more than any other team at the very [decisive] moments—as everyone has seen on the television, the decision was against us too many times. If the decision was right, we would have had at least 10 points more."—Grant
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Grant made this comment leading up to the match against Manchester United. Perhaps he foreshadowed luck would be against him, just like it was on the 21st May 2008 at the Luzhniki Stadium.
41 minutes in, West Ham United 2-0 Manchester United.
Another Comeback?
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Whatever Grant said at halftime motivated West Ham United to defend like a team and up this point, it was looking like Grant was going to be credited a surprise victory against Manchester United. Until... Wayne Rooney curled in a beautiful freekick which left Robert Green clutching at air.
61 minutes in, West Ham United 2-1 Manchester United.
Rooney: 2-2, Game On!
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Manchester United had been bombarding West Ham United's defence and that was evident in the mounting corner count.
It was a exemplary piece of skill from Rooney who had controlled Valencia's inadvertent chest high pass, swiveled past the surrounding West Ham defenders, before slotting it in the bottom corner.
From just wanting to salvage a draw, Manchester United found themselves with the momentum against a demoralised West Ham United team. This would precipitate the next two goals.
73 minutes in, West Ham United 2-2 Manchester United.
Referee Mason Adding Insult to Injury
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Fabio's cavalier-like wingplay saw him easily bypass Matthew Upson and as Fabio crossed in the ball, it hit Upson's arm. Referee Mason called the penalty; it was a harsh decision as Upson showed no intent whatsoever to be deliberately handling the ball. Not to mention the cross was low and wasn't going to create a goal. Technically speaking, it was a handball but referee Mason should have exercised some common sense.
Rooney converted the penalty and looks into the camera and does a Diego Maradona or be it, with expletives.
79 minutes in, West Ham United 2-3 Manchester United.
Chicharito!
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If there was an indicator that luck wasn't on West Ham United's side, it was this play. Ryan Giggs puts in a medicore low cross which goes through four West Ham United defenders and Chicharito poaches a goal again.
"11—Javier Hernandez has scored 11 goals from just 15 shots on target in the Premier League this season. Update.—OptaJoe
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84 minutes in, West Ham United 2-4 Manchester United.
Full time score, West Ham United 2-4 Manchester United.
Final Comment
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Referee Mason's performance will come under heavy scrutiny, and at the end of the day, it's easy to point to his mistakes in not sending off Nemanja Vidić and awarding a dubious penalty for Manchester United, as reasons why West Ham United lost the match. However if West Ham United want to learn from this experience, they should take accountability for falling like a stack of cards, learn and move on.
Grant now has to pick up the pieces and remind his players that there is only eight points separating last place and eighth place. With seven games remaining, they'll have to grit it out against Manchester City and Chelsea but the remaining games are all winnable.
This Manchester United side doesn't possess the firepower of a Barcelona but have shown championship winning mentality. This season, they've rescued games against Wolverhampton Wanderers (Park Ji Sung scoring a 93rd minute winner), Aston Villa (scoring two goals in the last nine minutes to draw the game), Blackpool (Dimitar Berbatov scoring an 88th minute winner), Bolton Wanderers (Berbatov scoring another 88th minute winner) and now against West Ham United.
These could have been five games that Manchester United lost. For your information, if Manchester United lost this five games, they would be in sixth place. Instead, Sir Alex Ferguson has instilled in a fighting and importantly a winning mentality. A mentality which will give them their 19th league title, going ahead of Liverpool.
