Manchester United suffered their 17th loss of the Premier League season after a tepid display at home against West Ham United.
The visiting side won 2-0 thanks to goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen, a result that leaves Manchester United in 16th place in the table.
Although United’s season now hinges on the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur later this month, this was still an unwanted setback and the club have now gone seven top-flight matches without winning for the first time since November 1992.
Here, our writers analyse the key talking points from the game at Old Trafford.
United’s league form can’t get much worse
United’s domestic campaign has been over for some time. That being said, sitting in 16th with just two games to go is a horrendous look for a club synonymous with glory in the Premier League.
Positivity from the European stage — where they are unbeaten in 14 matches this season — has repeatedly come with the asterisk of flat league results like this one. West Ham, who arrived at Old Trafford on Sunday on an eight-match winless run in the league, are yet to get up to speed under Graham Potter but that did not matter.
A much-changed United starting line-up was unsynchronised and characteristically sloppy, best epitomised by Manuel Ugarte’s cheap giveaway in the moments before Bowen’s goal made it 2-0 to the visitors.
Plenty will refer to the insignificance of this game and they have a point. But the situation is as bad as it’s ever been at the club from a Premier League perspective. This was their 17th league defeat of the season, the most since they lost 20 in 1973-74 on their way to relegation from the top flight.
United are now seven games without a win in the Premier League, the club’s longest winless run since November 1992. West Ham have become the sixth team to do the double over United this season, joining Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.
At least United’s final two opponents — Chelsea and Aston Villa — cannot add to that list.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Yoro injury sparks concern
It seemed innocuous enough.
There was no onrushing opponent. No odd landing. No collision to suggest an impact injury.
The 49th minute saw Leny Yoro play a ball back to his goalkeeper before going down clutching his foot. It was a pause that caused United manager Ruben Amorim to start clutching his face and begin to shake his head. Yoro — who had impressed greatly in Thursday’s game against Athletic Club — looked to have succumbed to another foot issue.
Amorim was quick with his tactical changes, removing the Frenchman for Harry Maguire, and also bringing on Victor Lindelof for Luke Shaw. The head coach coach has spoken of a need to protect his gamechangers ahead of the Europa League final, but an injury to Yoro throws a wrench in what plans he has for the left side of the defence.
An injured Yoro comes off (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Yoro might have been signed to play as a right-sided centre-back next to Lisandro Martinez, but his recovery pace, ball-carrying skills and ability to cover wider areas of space may lead him to supplant the Argentina international at left centre-back for a section of next season.
But what happens if another foot injury renders him unavailable to play for the remainder of this campaign? Amorim will have to hope Shaw can last 90 minutes of football (and perhaps more) against Tottenham in Bilbao.
Carl Anka
Hojlund toils yet again
When Rasmus Hojlund went down in the 38th minute clutching his shoulder, United fans winced. The 22-year-old is in uncertain territory for Amorim’s side; a forward lacking confidence in front of goal, but given game-time due to a lack of experienced alternatives.
It was hoped goals against Bournemouth and Athletic would kick start a purple patch for the striker, but Hojlund has continued to look unconvincing as the focal point of United’s attack. His hold-up play has been a point of frustration and at one point Shaw was seen shouting, “Ras, come on!” after he failed to retain possession.
“There’s been hard times,” said the striker in the build-up to Sunday’s game. “When I go without a goal in a lot of games, I wouldn’t say I lose self-belief, but you’re going to be a bit more down and frustrated. But then it’s about going back to the basics, focus on what I can and try to improve myself and try to talk with my team-mates (about) getting (into) better positions.”
A frustrated Hojlund against West Ham (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Hojlund attempted to position himself between the width of West Ham’s goalposts throughout the match. Sensible play for a striker, but his movement lacked the necessary intensity to trouble defenders. Chances were limited, which may have fed into his rushed shooting style on Sunday.
Mason Mount directed a lofted ball into the striker’s path partway through the first half, only for the Dane to shoot early and a fraction wide of the near post. The attempt would see Bruno Fernandes tell Hojlund to wait a until he’s got his balance before shooting.
The 65th minute saw Fernandes direct a free kick towards Hojlund at the near post, but the striker could only direct his header off target. Then Amad teed him up in the 73rd minute after a good counter-attack, but the striker’s shot was low and too close to an onrushing Alphonse Areola. Overall, Maguire again looked the more dangerous goalscoring option when competing at set pieces.
Hojlund is trying, but there appears to be a mental block affecting him. He will be given more chances to play ahead of the Europa League final, but Amorim may soon consider adopting Erik ten Hag’s approach to last season’s FA Cup final and attempt a striker-less system entirely.
Carl Anka
Why was Fernandes playing at centre-back?
“It’s important to know that I can play different positions and do different things and that the manager trusts me to play on the right wing, as a No 8, on the left or wherever he needs me to play.”
When Bruno Fernandes said this in January 2023, referring to Ten Hag using him in positions across attack and midfield, he is unlikely to have imagined playing as a centre-back.
Yet when United had the ball near or behind the halfway line on Sunday, he was required to do just that. West Ham expectedly did not press high, preferring instead to sit in a mid-block while occasionally man-marking United’s No 10s.
9 – Manchester United have suffered their ninth home Premier League defeat of the season, their joint-most ever home losses in a single league campaign, along with 1930-31, 1933-34, and 1962-63. Nightmare. pic.twitter.com/3zcXmW3lhM
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 11, 2025
With Harry Maguire and Casemiro — two of United’s best at playing ranging passes over the top or from one side to the other — on the bench, United simply could not penetrate the block. Ugarte dropped in between the centre-backs to limited effect in the first half, while their only real openings came from balls over the top to Hojlund on the left channel or switches from the left to Amad on the right.
Fernandes took it upon himself to help United’s progression from the back by repeatedly dropping into the left centre-back position. It understandably limited his impact in the final third until Bowen’s goal, which forced West Ham to sit deeper and United to push their players higher.
United have lacked a progressive passer in midfield for an long time. While Casemiro’s performances have improved in recent months, it is an area they desperately need to reinforce this summer.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
What did Amorim say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for United?
Friday, May 16: Chelsea (away), Premier League, 8.15pm UK, 3.15pm ET
(Top photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)