Ruben Amorim ‘angry’ after West Ham expose Man Utd’s soft underbelly

In three of their last five games, United have led but they have not won any of them. And coming off the back of a previous home defeat by Everton, who played for 77 minutes with 10 men, it was hardly a surprise to see Amorim brooding.

In fact, he had probably not appeared this angry since he smashed a TV in the dressing room at the end of a 3-1 defeat by Brighton in January.

“Always I have the feeling that we need to score more goals,” the United manager said when asked about his team’s struggles to preserve a lead. “Even with Brighton we were 3-0 [up in October], then suddenly [we concede twice]. We suffer with that, we need to improve.”

There have been plenty of poorer performances than this but not many games where United have chucked away three points quite so cheaply against a team that really did not offer a great deal until exploiting United’s soft centre seven minutes from time.

Former United captain Roy Keane, working as a pundit on Sky Sports, said the squad lacked quality throughout.

“When you look at the squad, considering the money that has been spent, they lack strength in depth. Particularly in the attacking areas,” Keane said. 

“I look at Mason Mount when he came on, he was like a schoolboy out there! You’re looking for players to come on with presence.They brought the levels down at United. That seemed to be the case tonight.

“Find a way to win, grind out a result. It couldn’t get any worse than last year. Defensively and in midfield, there are huge questions. I wouldn’t trust or believe in this team that they can get results.”

The equaliser came when a long punt up field by goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was not dealt with and Jarrod Bowen, picking up the loose bouncing ball, ran down the flank, crossed and forced the corner from which West Ham scored.

United may be the league’s top scorers from set-pieces alongside leaders Arsenal this season, but they retain a decidedly vulnerable streak defending them. Andy Irving, who had just come on, whipped in a corner to the near post.

Bowen was one of the smallest players on the pitch and should not be winning headers unmarked at the front post at any stage of a game but he made a good run in behind Bruno Fernandes to send a glancing header hurtling towards the corner. 

Noussair Mazraoui was able to get the ball off the goal line but only as far as Soungoutou Magassa to fire home for his first West Ham goal. It is seven games without a clean sheet for United now.