By CHRIS WHEELER, NORTHERN SPORTS WRITER
Published: 17:13 EST, 4 December 2025 | Updated: 17:19 EST, 4 December 2025
Until the 83rd minute at Old Trafford, it looked as though Diogo Dalot would emerge as Manchester United's unlikely hero.
The Portugal defender, who had responded to Ruben Amorim's remark last week that he was 'far from the best' in one of those brutally candid moments we have come to expect from the United boss, scored his first Premier League goal at Old Trafford after seven-and-a-half years at the club, four days after he has won the two free kicks that led to United's victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
But this is a United team that seem incapable of seizing an opportunity to climb above the mid-table melee and challenge for the top-four. They did it with draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham last month, and a defeat by 10-man Everton last week, and they were at it again here.
A West Ham side who remain in the relegation zone despite this point had hardly threatened when they won a corner with seven minutes of normal time remaining.
Jarrod Bowen flicked on at the near post and although Casemiro scrambled the ball off the line, it fell to Soungoutou Magassa to equalise from close range.
With Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire sidelined through injury, Amorim gave Ayden Heaven his first league start of the season, having last played for the Under-21s against Solihull Moors last week. Heaven played in the middle of a back-three that also featured Noussair Mazraoui in place of Leny Yoro who was below-par in Sunday's win at Crystal Palace.
Manchester United were poor as they let a lead slip at home against West Ham on Thursday
It had looked as though unlikely hero Diogo Dalot had scored the winner for the home side
Soungoutou Magassa, though, scored his first goal for the club to earn the visitors a vital point
United captain Bruno Fernandes was frustrated as his side struggled again in the league
The teenager was certainly fired up for the challenge and found himself on a yellow card inside eight minutes for a reckless, and needless foul on Bowen who was posing little threat when he was scythed down close to the touchline.
Heaven looked tentative against Bowen and the more physical threat of Callum Wilson from that moment on, and it was no surprise to see him make way for Yoro at half-time.
FACT BOX TITLE
Man United (3-4-3): Lammens; Mazraoui, Heaven (Yoro 46), Shaw (Martinez 88); Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot (Dorgu 68); Mbeumo, Cunha (Ugarte 77), Zirkzee (Mount 78)
Subs not used: Bayindir, Malacia, Mainoo, Lacey
Goal: Dalot 58
Booked: Heaven, Shaw
Manager: Ruben Amorim
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Diouf; Magassa, Potts (Irving 83); Soucek (Kante 83), Bowen, Fernandes; Wilson (Kilman 87)
Subs not used: Hermansen, Mayers, Walker-Peters, Earthy, Rodriguez, Marshall
Goal: Magassa 83
Booked: Diouf, Wan-Bissaka
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
Matheus Cunha replaced Mason Mount, who was only fit enough for a place on the bench after picking up a knock at Selhurst Park, as the Brazilian returned from a two-match absence desperate to add to his solitary goal for United.
That rarely looked like happening during a first half in which United again struggled to break down opponents who sit deeper despite having the lion's share of possession. When Cunha did finally break into the box in the 34th minute, he was thwarted by an excellent tackle by former United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Nuno made one enforced change from the defeat against Liverpool, Thomas Soucek coming in for the suspended Lucas Paqueta, and it was the Hammers who threatened first when Wan-Bissaka pulled the ball back for Mateus Fernandes in the sixth minute and his goalbound effort was blocked by Casemiro at full stretch.
We were past the midway point of the half before United upped the tempo and finally troubled Alphonse Areola, Bryan Mbeumo forcing the Hammers keeper to backpedal and tip the ball to out for a corner with a disguised effort that was curling under the crossbar.
The home side's best effort arrived a few minutes later when Amad Diallo got to the byeline and crossed for Joshua Zirkzee who guided the ball goalwards off his right thigh, but it was cleared off the line by Wan-Bissaka. Mazraoui's overhead attempt was blocked and Bruno Fernandes followed up with a scissor kick that scraped the outside of the post.
Magassa fired into the side-netting for West Ham before Dalot broke the deadlock in the 58th minute. Casemiro spread the ball out to Diallo on the right and then received it back from the Ivorian. Fernandes managed to take the sting out of his shot but the ball landed at the feet of Dalot eight yards out and he was coolness personified, controlling it with one touch of his right foot and despatching a clinical finish past Areola that even Wan-Bissaka couldn't block.
Dalot went off injured shortly afterwards to be replaced by Patrick Dorgu, with Amorim then sending on Manuel Ugarte and Mount in attempt to see the game out. It didn't work as Magassa levelled late on.