Areola: 6 – Made a crucial save at the 14-minute mark despite a collision with Zouma.
Coufal: 5 – Found himself in promising positions but often let down by his final pass.
Zouma: 6 – Executed a solid tackle at the 22nd minute, yet appears to constantly battle injuries.
Aguerd: 6 – Showed good fitness and established a strong partnership with Emerson. A deflection off Aguerd led to Manchester United’s second goal shortly after halftime.
Emerson: 6 – Had a strong start, balancing defensive duties with attacking contributions well. Made a key tackle on Maguire but missed a critical chance from close range when the score was still 1-0, leading to a Manchester United goal on the counter.
Alvarez: 7 – Acted as the cohesive force in midfield.
Soucek: 5 – Took a shot that was deflected by Maguire and received a tactical yellow card to stop a Manchester United attack.
Ward-Prowse: 6 – A miscommunication with Soucek contributed to Manchester United’s opening goal. Applied effective pressure but failed to capitalize on several set-piece chances.
Johnson: 7 – Shone as a right winger, posing the main offensive threat for West Ham in the first half.
Kudus: 6 – Adapted well to the left wing, contributing to a lively start for The Hammers. Swapped wings with Johnson after the break.
Bowen: 5 – Struggled to make an impact until moving to the wing, lacking the physical presence for the lone striker role. Hesitated on his one clear opportunity to shoot.
Substitutes:
Fabianski: Came on for Areola at halftime, likely due to the latter’s earlier clash with Zouma.
Cornet: Entered the game for Soucek in the 71st minute but could do little as the team was outplayed in the second half.
Phillips: Replaced Coufal and unfortunately lost possession in midfield, leading to Manchester United’s third goal, marking a difficult period in his time with the Hammers.
