Report: West Ham 0 – 4 Manchester United
What first looked like being a tough away day for Manchester United turned out to be a stroll in the park as they thrashed West Ham 4-0.
A defensive crisis threatened to make the trip to Upton Park harder than it should have been, but united managed to keep a clean sheet as well as find their shooting boots.
Gary Neville and Wes Brown started in central defence, with Darren Fletcher at right back and Patrice Evra on the other flank, before a groin injury forced Neville off early leaving Michael Carrick to come on as a make shift centre half.
Nevertheless, it was United who showed the initiative and carried the attacking threat with the intent of a team hungry to put pressure on league leaders Chelsea.
Golden opportunities were falling to both Darron Gibson and Paul Scholes on the ege of the area regularly, but they were struggling to break through West Ham’s stubborn defence until late in the first half.
The ball dropped to Paul Scholes and he unleashed a left footed volley past Robert green who got his fingertips to it but couldn’t keep it out.
United went into the dressing room 1-0 up at half time.
The second half started in much the same pattern. Lots of pressure from United and the occasional counter attack or long ball from West Ham.
With the score at 1-0 West Ham were still in with a chance, but Darron Gibson saw to it that all three points were going to Old Trafford when he let fly with a rasping shot from 25 yards after Giggs layed it off. It was no more than he and United deserved.
West Ham’s best effort came a few minutes later when substitute Alessandro Diamanti curled a free kick towards the top corner, but Tomasz Kuszczak was equal to it.
From then on it was one way traffic directed at the West Ham goal. the third goal came after Paul Scholes sent Anderson down the left wing and his squared pass was met by Antonio Valencia who couldn’t miss.
In almost a carbon copy of the third goal, Scholes sent Valencia down the right wing and his cross was met by Rooney to score the fourth goal.
Four goals scored and another clean sheet ensure united stepped up the pressure on Chelsea ahead of their game against Manchester City at Eastlands.
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