By Conor Hogan
West Ham’s 1–1 draw with Manchester United may have been a frustrating result, but there were a wealth of positives to take from the Irons’ performance.
As they have in most games in 2026, the Hammers worked extremely hard and played some attractive football. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side look much more effective in attack and have now scored in all but one game since the New Year.
The Irons also look more solid at the back, and if they can hold their nerve for just a few minutes longer in games, they are sure to rack up more points before the season is out.
Another encouraging aspect in recent weeks has been how Nuno has adapted his side’s tactics based on their opponents.
The Hammers’ boss was criticised earlier in the season for sitting back and inviting pressure after taking the lead in games.
Against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, the Irons looked set to pick up valuable wins, but Nuno’s second-half set-up ultimately cost them.
Likewise, in games against Spurs and Chelsea, the Irons made blistering starts, only to look heavily fatigued in the second half. Callum Wilson saved Nuno’s side in North London, but the Stamford Bridge capitulation may go down as one of the Hammers’ most regrettable moments of the campaign.
However, the last two games have shown how Nuno has developed his side to be more effective.
The 51-year-old deployed a 4-4-2 formation at Burnley, blowing Scott Parker’s side away within 30 minutes. But when the Hammers were under the cosh early in the second half, Nuno promptly introduced Freddie Potts, bolstering his midfield and nullifying the opposition threat to secure a 2–0 win.
Then, in Tuesday’s encounter with Manchester United, Nuno started with a 4-2-3-1 formation, which proved a good match for a United side that play with intensity under Carrick.
Unlike in previous games, however, the Hammers conserved their energy and looked fresher in the second half, even scoring early through Tomáš Souček.
Although Carrick’s side went on to nick a late equaliser, West Ham showed a more sustainable way of playing on Tuesday nightand still came away with a decent point against a team that had won their previous four matches.
The table still looks bleak, but unlike Potter and Lopetegui before him, Nuno is not stubborn. If something is not working, he tries to fix it — and this West Ham side looks far less broken than it did a few months ago.