Manchester United had a golden opportunity to climb into the Premier League’s top five — but instead, they left Old Trafford with more frustration, more questions, and a visibly angry Ruben Amorim.

Diogo Dalot’s second-half strike should have been the start of a comfortable win. Instead, it became another night where United looked unsure, unfocused, and unable to kill off an opponent fighting for survival.

And Amorim?
He did not hide his feelings one bit.

United Drop Points… Again

United were coming off a shock defeat to 10-man Everton, and this was supposed to be the perfect response. Facing 18th-placed West Ham — a team with just one away win all season — many expected a bounce-back.

But things didn’t go as planned.

The Red Devils struggled to create clear chances, Bruno Fernandes couldn’t pull the strings, and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven looked shaky in his first Premier League start before being taken off at half-time.

West Ham stayed patient, stayed organised, and took their chance when it came.
Soungoutou Magassa pounced late in the game, smashing home from a corner to make it 1-1.

Old Trafford went silent.
Amorim, however, did not.

Amorim: “We Should Have Closed The Game Out”

The United manager could not hide his disappointment after the match.

“We lost control after the first goal,” he said. “We stopped winning second balls. We defended too far from our goal. We had the game under control and we didn’t win. That is frustrating and that is why I am angry.”

He went further on BBC Match of the Day:
“We should have closed the game with the ball. The game was there to win. We had our moments but we lost control. After the goal, we were sloppy. It’s really frustrating.”

For a manager who prides himself on structure, the collapse in control clearly hit a nerve.

The Heaven-Yoro Decision

Amorim raised eyebrows by starting Ayden Heaven and dropping Leny Yoro. But after Heaven collected an early yellow card and struggled against Callum Wilson, the manager had no choice but to make a switch.

“Of course it was the yellow card,” Amorim explained. “One more foul and it could be another yellow. We also needed him for set pieces. We have to be smarter.”

It was a risky gamble that didn’t pay off — but it wasn’t the main reason United failed to take all three points.

Dalot: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Dalot, who scored United’s goal, echoed his manager’s frustration.

“We cannot get anxious after scoring,” he said. “We became sloppy with the ball. We knew West Ham would look for counters and set pieces, and it was more our fault than anything they did.”

United have now taken just two points from their last three Premier League games at Old Trafford — and the pressure continues to grow.

Sports Market International Verdict

This is the kind of match top-five teams win without stress. But instead, Manchester United once again handed the momentum back to a relegation-fighting opponent.

From missed chances to lack of control to late lapses, the problems are becoming predictable — and the excuses are becoming fewer.

If the Red Devils want to climb back into the elite category, these are the games they simply must win.

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At the start of the season, everything looked like a fairytale for Manchester United Women. They were unbeaten in their first seven WSL games, they were in the Women’s Champions League proper for the first time ever, and momentum was firmly on their side.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and suddenly the Red Devils are battling to stop a worrying slide — with three defeats in four games knocking the confidence out of a team that once looked ready to challenge the very best.

But here’s the truth:
United’s struggles were predictable — and the club only has itself to blame.

A Bright Start Masked a Big Problem

That early-season high was impressive, no doubt. United were dealing with a crisis-level injury list, with 10 senior players unavailable before October. Marc Skinner often had only two senior outfield players on the bench, yet somehow managed to guide the team through Champions League qualifiers, secure three wins in the league phase, and remain unbeaten in the WSL.

It was admirable.
It was brave.
It was also unsustainable.

Depth? What Depth?

Their recent 3-0 demolition in the Manchester derby exposed the obvious: United simply do not have the squad depth to compete on two major fronts.

Even though City have injury concerns of their own, they still looked fresher, sharper and more prepared. The difference?
No Champions League schedule dragging them through two games a week.

It’s not just United suffering, either. Arsenal, another Champions League side, are facing similar challenges. The reality across Europe is clear:
Small squads struggle. Big squads survive. Elite squads thrive.

Barcelona can get away with using the same number of players as United because their starting XI is stacked with world-class talent. United? Not quite.

When You Can’t Train, You Can’t Improve

The problem goes beyond injuries and rotation.

As Skinner said earlier in the season:
“You can’t coach much.”

With games coming fast and recovery time eating into training sessions, there’s less time to fix tactical issues or build new patterns of play. Everything becomes reactive instead of proactive.

This isn’t noticeable when the team is winning — but the moment form dips, it becomes a mountain to climb.

United’s current rut isn’t caused by one bad performance.
It’s the result of weeks and months without the space needed to improve.

So, What Now For Man Utd Women?

The Red Devils are now seven points off the pace in the WSL and desperately need strong results in their final Champions League matches to advance.

Skinner will continue to demand more.
The players will continue to fight.
But unless United finally build a squad designed for both domestic and European battles, seasons like this will repeat themselves.

The spiral didn’t come from nowhere — it came from predictable, avoidable cracks that are now impossible to ignore.

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Manchester United thought they had the job wrapped up at Old Trafford… until they didn’t.

Diogo Dalot’s tidy finish just before the hour mark looked like the moment that would push the Red Devils to a much-needed victory. But in classic 2025 Manchester United fashion, control slipped, intensity dipped, and West Ham pounced.

And of course—when things go wrong—Roy Keane is never far from the verbal action.

“They Weren’t Nasty Enough!” – Keane Fires Shots

After the 1-1 draw, Keane wasted zero time calling out what he sees as the real issue at United: timidity.

According to him, United “took their foot off the gas” right after scoring. Against a team in the bottom three, he expected more authority, more aggression, and definitely more hunger.

Instead, what he saw was a team “almost frightened” of finishing the job.

He slammed the players for hiding when pressure kicked in, criticized their lack of killer instinct, and even called out the relaxed body language during substitutions.

In typical Keane fashion, the message was simple:
United should never be this soft.

Amorim Also Frustrated: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Manager Ruben Amorim didn’t sugarcoat anything either.

While he didn’t go full-Keane, he admitted:

• United lost control after scoring

• They failed to win second balls

• They should have killed the match earlier

• The inconsistency is becoming a real problem

For a team chasing European places, three draws in five games simply isn’t good enough.

West Ham Deserved Their Point

To be fair, West Ham didn’t just sit back and wait. They fought, pressed, countered, and eventually got their reward when Soungoutou Magassa slotted home the 83rd-minute equaliser.

United had late chances, but the story of their season resurfaced again:
moments created, moments wasted.

Where Do United Go From Here?

Sitting eighth on the table, United’s inconsistency continues to be their biggest opponent. Keane believes the team lacks bite. Amorim believes the team lacks control.

Fans believe the team lacks… well, everything except drama.

What’s clear is this: until United find their identity and intensity, nights like this will keep happening.

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