Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says his side were not able to control West Ham pair Mateus Fernandes and Jarrod Bowen.
The Hammers secured a point at Old Trafford after Soungoutou Magassa scored from a corner, but Amorim highlighted the fact that their opponents had two other players who caused his team plenty of problems:
“[We really struggled with] just losing second balls and when they kick the ball long. Mateus [Fernandes] running with the ball.”
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“They win the first ball, and then Bowen was making the runs. You can’t control that kind of game. We should be better with the ball after the first goal.”
Fernandes has settled in quickly
While the praise for Bowen is not a surprise, considering he is a player that any opponent should fear, Amorim’s comments on Fernandes are notable.
The Irons did pay a sizeable sum to secure his services from Southampton in the summer transfer window. It was believed to be a fee in excess of £40m.
However, Fernandes has already shown that he is an extremely talented player, and at 21 years of age, he could well go on to do even better things in the future.
West Ham need to build on Thursday’s performance
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo would have been a lot happier with what he saw from his players against Manchester United.
The Hammers succumbed meekly in their previous fixture at home to Liverpool. They didn’t really capitalise on the opponents’ lack of confidence, and they were too accommodating.
Things were a lot different at Old Trafford. They limited United to very few chances and they quietened the home crowd to an extent that you could hear a pin drop at times. It was a professional display, and the hope is that they can use it as a springboard for better results in upcoming games.
Read more about the West Ham First Team Squad for 2025/26 here