Manchester United returned to second position in the Premier League courtesy of a 1-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford on Sunday night.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are now nine points clear of fifth-placed West Ham in the table, although the Hammers have a game in hand and are only three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the race for Champions League football.
Man United had the best of the first period, with Marcus Rashford heading an excellent chance wide of the post in the 25th minute, before Mason Greenwood saw a curling effort tipped wide by Lukasz Fabianski.
The Red Devils had eight shots in the opening 45 minutes, but West Ham had zero, while the visitors enjoyed just 34% of the possession as they struggled to get out of their own half for long spells.
The breakthrough arrived early in the second period when Bruno Fernandes's corner from the left was headed into the back of his own net by Craig Dawson.
West Ham improved after the opening goal, with more of the game taking place in Man United's half of the field, but Solskjaer's team remained a threat on the counter-attack, and Greenwood struck the post 15 minutes from time at the conclusion of a fast break.
The 20-time English champions ultimately did not need a second to secure all the points, though, as the own goal from Dawson proved to be the difference in Manchester.
Next up for Man United is the second leg of their last-16 Europa League clash away to AC Milan on Thursday before they face Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals next weekend. West Ham, meanwhile, will continue their league campaign at home to Arsenal on March 21.
HIGHLIGHTS
4th min: Half-chance for Man United to make the breakthrough as Luke Shaw delivers a low cross into Greenwood, but the forward's low effort is blocked by Dawson.
18th min: Uncomfortable moment for the home side as a deep cross from Aaron Cresswell is deflected into a dangerous position, but Dean Henderson manages to get above Jarrod Bowen to clear.
25th min: Huge chance for Man United to make the breakthrough as Greenwood delivers a brilliant cross onto the head of Rashford, but the forward heads harmlessly wide of the post. Issa Diop had lost the England international, and it is a bad, bad miss from Rashford.
Got to score...
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2021
Marcus Rashford has had the biggest chance so far at Old Trafford
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30th min: Greenwood works some space in a dangerous area before delivering low into the West Ham box, but Fabianski just manages to gather under pressure from Daniel James; the goalkeeper had actually initially palmed it out but was able to collect the ball at the second time of asking.
37th min: Wonderful chance for Man United to make the breakthrough at Old Trafford as Fernandes feeds Greenwood, who looks to bend one into the far corner, but Fabianski is on hand to make a stunning fingertip save onto the post; comfortably the best chance of the opening 37 minutes here.
WHAT A SAVE 🧤
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2021
Łukasz Fabiański somehow gets down to keep it at 0-0
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39th min: Fernandes finds the head of Rashford with a deep cross, but the forward's effort is straight into the arms of Fabianski, who was always comfortable.
53rd min: Excellent defending from Vladimir Coufal as the West Ham wing-back manages to clear a Greenwood cross behind for a corner just ahead of Rashford, who was waiting at the far post.
53rd min: Man United make the breakthrough in the 53rd minute of the match as Fernandes's corner from the left is headed into the back of his own net by Dawson. McTominay went up with the defender, but it was a West Ham head that sent the ball past Fabianski for 1-0.
Own goal 😅
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2021
Craig Dawson puts through his own goal and Man Utd have the lead at Old Trafford
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59th min: West Ham want a penalty as Tomas Soucek goes down inside the Man United box under a challenge from Harry Maguire, but the referee is not interested and VAR agree.
60th min: Wonderful save from Fabianski to keep out a low strike from Fernandes as the home side threaten to double their advantage on the hour mark.
64th min: Huge chance for West Ham to level as Cresswell picks out the head of Bowen, but the attacker heads wide. Replays show that Bowen was actually in an offside position.
77th min: Man United are on the break and almost have a second as Greenwood races into the West Ham box before firing towards goal, but the ball strikes the outside of the post.
POST ⚽️
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2021
Mason Greenwood rattles the woodwork and West Ham are still in this
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79th min: West Ham work the ball impressively and eventually Soucek strikes towards goal, but Man United captain Maguire is on hand to make an excellent block to keep the score at 1-0.
86th min: Fabianski spills a cross from James inside the penalty box, but there are no Man United players on the scene, meaning that Coufal can clear his lines.
MAN OF THE MATCH - LUKE SHAW
© Reuters
Shaw has been Man United's best player in recent weeks, and the full-back put in another excellent performance for the 20-time English champions on Sunday night.
The 25-year-old was a threat all evening as he continued to drive down the left, while he also defended excellently for the hosts and finished the match with a pass success rate of 91%.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
Greenwood looked certain to be sending Man United ahead in the first period when he danced past Dawson before curling the ball towards the bottom corner, but Fabianski made a quite stunning save, reaching to tip onto the post and behind for a corner; it was a wonderful piece of work from the West Ham goalkeeper.
BEST STAT
15 - Only Harry Redknapp (15) has managed more away Premier League games at Old Trafford without winning that West Ham boss David Moyes, who has never won in 14 visits (D4 L10). Bogey. pic.twitter.com/IRgIgunFGU
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 14, 2021
MATCH STATS
Possession: Man United 62%-38% West Ham
Shots: Man United 15-7 West Ham
Shots on target: Man United 4-0 West Ham
Corners: Man United 6-2 West Ham
Fouls: Man United 12-2 West Ham
LINEUPS
MAN UNITED (4-2-3-1): Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Rashford, Fernandes, James; Greenwood
WEST HAM (3-5-2): Fabianski; Diop, Dawson, Cresswell; Coufal, Soucek, Rice, Noble (Lanzini 62'), Johnson (Benrahma 62'); Bowen, Antonio
