West Ham United and Manchester United will lock horns in a crucial Premier League encounter on Sunday, with both teams in need of points for different reasons. The host is currently in the 15th position, just four points clear of the relegation zone, while the Red Devils sits in fourth place, only four points ahead of Liverpool in fifth place.
With the stakes higher than usual, the Hammers will particularly look to safeguard their status as contenders in the league next season when they take to their home stadium in the upcoming encounter. David Moyes' side has had a mixed season, winning only eight of their 34 league games so far, drawing 11 and losing 15. They have also struggled at home, picking up just 22 points from 17 home games.
West Ham will go into Sunday's game having lost their last two games, including a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in their last outing. However, they will take heart from their recent performances against the top sides in the league, having beaten Tottenham and drawn with Arsenal earlier this season. The Hammers have also reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, and a win against Manchester United could provide them with the momentum they need to push for a place in the final.
As for Manchester United, they have had a decent season, but have struggled to extend the same dominance at home to their away fixtures. Safe passage to contest in the Champions League is far from guarenteed, with Liverpool breathing down the necks of the Red Devils. However, they take solace in the fact that they have two games in-hand, starting with the clash against West Ham, and could potentially steer clear should all go according to plan.
Erik ten Hag's men will approach Sunday's game having seen their hard work against Brighton at the Amex Stadium undone by a late MacAllister spot-kick which was as a result of Luke Shaw's handball. With the result, the Red Devils have failed to beat any of the top nine teams in the league this season, a very concerning development in their campaign thus far.
However, United should potentially do okay against a West Ham side that is in the bottom half of the table. They have won their last three games against West Ham, including two wins this season, one in the Premier League and the other in the FA Cup.
Key stats: West Ham vs Manchester United
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West Ham have lost their last five league games against Manchester United and are winless in their previous six meetings.
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Manchester United have won their last two Premier League away matches against West Ham, which is as many wins as in their previous eight visits to East London (D3, L3).
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Manchester United are aiming to win three consecutive away fixtures against West Ham in the Premier League for the first time since 2011.
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West Ham have dropped 35 points from winning positions against Manchester United in the Premier League, which is more than against any other team.
Team news: West Ham vs Manchester United
West Ham is hoping to have Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, and Nayef Aguerd back in the XI for this game after they missed the match against Manchester City due to illness. The trio returned to the training ground on Friday and are expected to feature. However, Vladimir Coufal is set to miss out due to a hamstring injury, while Gianluca Scamacca and Kurt Zouma are unavailable for selection against Ten Hag's side.
For Manchester United, Alejandro Garnacho may be back in their squad for this match, as he has returned to first-team training after recovering from an ankle injury. However, Lisandro Martinez, Donny van de Beek, Scott McTominay, Raphael Varane, and Tom Heaton remain unavailable for selection.
Broadcast information: West Ham vs Manchester United
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
