March 26, 2024

Manchester United’s hold on the final Champions League spot weakened as they suffered a 1-0 defeat against West Ham, courtesy of David De Gea’s costly error.

De Gea failed to handle Said Benrahma’s seemingly harmless shot from 20 yards, allowing it to slip past his outstretched glove. This defeat places Erik Ten Hag’s team just one point ahead of a rapidly advancing Liverpool, although they do have a game in hand.

The loss at West Ham proved to be a costly one for Manchester United, as it was a significant boost for the home side. West Ham climbed seven points clear of the relegation zone, virtually securing their safety. De Gea’s evening got off to an unfortunate start when his poor clearance landed at the feet of Declan Rice, only for a last-ditch tackle from Wout Weghorst to halt Rice’s progress into the area.

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Manchester United had their chances, with Marcus Rashford curling an effort over the bar and both Bruno Fernandes and Antony narrowly missing the target with low shots. Christian Eriksen also saw his attempt sail too high, while Rashford cut inside Thilo Kehrer but struck the outside of the post with his shot.

The decisive goal arrived in the 29th minute, and it was one that De Gea will want to forget. Benrahma found himself with limited options as he advanced with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, and Luke Shaw in close proximity. Despite lacking real power, Benrahma’s shot seemed to evade De Gea’s grasp and rolled apologetically into the net.

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Although West Ham threatened to increase their lead, with Antony’s shot deflecting off Nayef Aguerd’s heel and hitting the post, Manchester United had a stroke of luck when Benrahma broke through again just before halftime. De Gea saved Benrahma’s initial effort, and Lindelof’s attempt to return the rebound into the box struck his hand. However, the penalty appeals were dismissed by the VAR, and the game carried on.

In the second half, United survived another scare when De Gea went down following a challenge from Michail Antonio. Antonio managed to hook the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul. As the hour mark approached, Weghorst registered United’s first shot on target, a tame effort easily collected by Lukasz Fabianski.

Despite late saves from Fabianski denying Rashford and Anthony Martial, Ten Hag’s team failed to create many opportunities in their 57th match of a grueling season, which may be taking its toll on both them and Liverpool.

West Ham, on the other hand, sensed the significance of the victory as they look forward to their Europa League Conference semi-final, aiming to put their relegation concerns firmly behind them.

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