The 2021-22 season of the Premier League is scheduled for its matchweek-5 this weekend and it’s expected to present us with some quality piece of football as it always does. The season has got off to a breathtaking start this year with some exciting matchups between the top teams already turning the heat on. Now we are poised for another fierce rivalry to witness today that takes place between the Londoners and Manchester. West Ham welcomes Manchester United to the London Stadium on Saturday Afternoon to renew their rivalry in the gameweek-5 of the PL. No wonder that we are now up for the clash between two of the best teams in England. Manchester United will look to return back to winning ways after their awful display in Switzerland against Young Boys. It was a big setback for the visitors as they went down to the minnows by 1-2.
It’s high time now that Solskjaer’s men stop committing suicidal errors and focus on winning the game rather much. With the homecoming of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford, the team is now full of some extraordinary talents. Solskjaer now only needs to execute the right plan on the pitch at the right time in order to win games. The last season’s runner-up certainly has now enough fireworks in their ranks to go and compete for the elusive PL trophy. For that, they have to be consistent enough and win these kinds of tricky games in their path to glory.
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West Ham, who finished at an impressive sixth last season, will be aiming for a top-four spot this season. They have done some exponential development under Moyes and have transformed into a tough opponent in recent times. Hammers would be looking to quickly get their season back on track after a disappointing draw away to Southampton last Sunday. They lost their key player Michail Antonio in the dying moments of the game due to a red card. The Londoners now have to recover quickly and prepare to face their opponents twice in quick succession.
We know West Ham on their day is a quite formidable opponent against the big-six as they’ve proved it on earlier occasions. Undoubtedly, they would be eager to do another giant-killing at home against United on a sunny afternoon. Let’s see who gets the better of the other in this evenly matched contest between these two sides. Can Ole’s men comfortably get a convincing win or will West Ham snatch a tricky victory from their hands? Tune into the match to know everything.
Why to watch out for
There is absolutely no reason in the world that can stop you from watching this high-voltage fixture in the PL. And when it is occurring in the evening of a weekend, nothing can be more important than witnessing this encounter. It will be interesting to see how United put their season back on track after a morale-crushing loss on Tuesday. You don’t expect to see such kind of losses from a side that’s aspiring to compete with Europe’s-Elites for glory.
It’s not the end of the road for them although and they can still qualify from their group quite comfortably. The thing they need to shed light on now will be how to sneak a win from crunch situations in the game. This is the point where they have been lacking for a long-time and Solskjaer’s has to address this point certainly. When United plays these days, millions of hearts beat with it especially after the arrival of Ronaldo into the squad. They can’t afford to disappoint such a large section of the fans and have to come up with better displays of football.
West Ham, on the other hand, can be tipped as the new “Leicester City” in the making of the PL. They have done a great job since last year and are now well on course to establish themselves as a mini-superpower. Moyes’s side has offered us some exciting displays of football in recent times. They are bubbling with confidence now after beating Dinamo Zagreb and Leicester in a matter of few days.
Currently placed eighth in the table behind Spurs, they will be looking to close the gap with the top four. Last season they endured a horrible setback after they missed out on a top-four berth at the eleventh hour. They were comfortably placed in the fourth spot up to Gameweek-31 but bottled it in the next few games. Finally, they ended up finishing sixth behind Leicester. They would certainly ensure that such things don’t happen this season and can play with the much-needed consistency. So, what to wait, for now, be ready to watch a thrilling game between the two sides. The match is slated to get kicked off at 18:30 IST or 13:00 GMT.
Recent Form
Manchester United
The Red Devils are traveling to London after suffering a heartbreaking 1-2 loss at the hands of Young Boys in Bern. They took the lead early in the 1st half thanks to an excellent finish from Ronaldo from a Bruno Fernandes assist. But soon, things swung in favor of the hosts as Wan-Bisakka was shown a straight red for a stampede. After that, the visitors never could recover and concede an equalizer at the hour mark. More agony was yet to come as they saw the Swiss team found a winner in the penultimate minute of the game. The away side could only manage two shots at goal compared to the opposition’s whopping 19. They were also way behind in possession and could have 45% of the ball at their feet in the whole match.
The side from Manchester needs to learn their mistakes quickly and forget this game as soon as possible. In the premier league, they had blown away Newcastle 4-1 lastly in the game in which Cristiano Ronaldo debuted. A brace from the Portuguese Magnifico on his homecoming coupled with a thunderous strike from Bruno and Lingard sealed the deal. They marched away to a quite convincing win and were flying high until they came crashing down in midweek. Next up is West Ham and Solskjaer’s boys have to deliver a top-class performance to bag all three points.
Last 5 games form: – WDWWL (All Competitions)
West Ham United
The Hammers are coming onto this match after showing a powerful display against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League. They cruised to a 2-0 win thanks to strikes on either side of the break from Antonio and Rice. They were clearly the dominant team throughout the match but were evenly matched in possession and passes played. West Ham maintained 49% possession of the ball and built some dangerous attacks with it. They took 14 shots towards the opposition goal out of which 9 were on target. Moyes played Antonio in this game as he wouldn’t be able to play against United on Saturday.
In all, it was a stroll in the park for them as they managed to edge out a win. In the PL, West Ham did have a quite disgusting outing against Southampton as they settled out for a goalless draw. Westham controlled the proceedings in the game with almost two-thirds (59%) possession of the ball as well as took 14 shots. They came close to scoring a number of times but couldn’t utilize the opportunities well. It remains to be seen whether they can recover from their last match and turn up against a strong United side. Moyes’s men have all the elements to win over big oppositions on their day. Let’s see if they can do the same today and do well against United.
Last 5 games form: – WWDDW (All competitions)
Team News
Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s have a few injury concerns before going into Saturday’s clash with the Maroons. Scottish international Scott Mctominay has recovered well from his groin surgery and is back to training. Ole hinted that he might start but there is less possibility that he will risk him so early. Amad Diallo and Edinson Cavani remain sidelined on account of their injuries and are not available for selection till now. Marcus Rashford is well on his way to be fit following shoulder surgery in the coming days, apart from these few, there are no serious injuries in the team as of now.
West Ham United
David Moyes will miss the services of his talismanic striker Michail Antonio following his red card against the Saints. He has already scored 5 times and registered 3 assists for them in only five appearances. In his absence, Moyes might transfer Jarred Bowen into the middle. The rest of the team might remain the same but we could see Moyes playing out a three back too.
Head-to-Head
In the fifty duels the two sides have contested in, the Red Devils hold a clear advantage in it. They have won 30 of them while the Hammers bagged seven wins. The rest 13 matches ended in a stalemate between them.
Players to watch out for
Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese superstar has just donned the Manchester United jersey for the second time in his life and what a debut it has been for the talisman. He scored a couple. Of goals-against Steve Bruce’s side and drowned them in front of a packed Old Trafford. He is a nightmare for any defender that is playing against him and obviously, West Ham is no exception. He is a designated poacher inside the box and pounces on every single opportunity he gets. Undoubtedly, he will be looking to polish his scoring boots once again when his side squares off against West Ham on Saturday.
Bruno Fernandes
Mr. Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes, always carries his team every time he features in the red jersey for them. He has been ever reliable since he joined United from Sporting. In only five appearances for the Devils, he has recorded 4 goals and 1 assist for them. Whenever he is in form, there can be no one stopping him. His creativity is an invaluable asset for United. Against West Ham, Ole would again hope that his go-to man delivers top performance in London.
WestHam United
Saïd Benrahma
The Algerian has been a revelation for West Ham this season and has been their top performer after Antonio. He has contributed to all aspects of his team from assisting to scoring. In the four starts he made, he has racked up 2 goals and 2 assists for his side. Whenever the ball is in his feet in and around the box, he possesses a dangerous threat. His inch-perfect passes and through balls are a delight to watch. In the absence of Antonio, Benrahma has to step up and take the responsibility of steering his team home.
Declan Rice
One of the best holding midfielders in the world right now, Declan Rice is the undaunted king of WestHam’s midfield. He controls the midfield and keeps a smooth balance between attack and defense. His ability to give perfect long balls for the attackers is a dangerous threat for the opposition. His splendid tackles also enable him to be a pillar in defense. Because of his immense contribution in both, Rice is an undroppable player in the West Ham lineup. Moyes would have that his star man comes on top against United and help his side win.
Conclusion
In every aspect, this match is going to be an enticing and enthralling one for the fans. Both the teams will give their best to win this important clash after not having performed well in the previous match. Manchester United would see this match as a chance to cement their place as table-toppers and can’t afford to drop points anymore. West Ham will be aiming to take themselves up the table and close in on their superior placed teams. Expect a fierce and cagey encounter to take place between them. Can Ole’s men win the game and keep their away record unbroken or will Moyes’s men deny them a victory? Let’s see what happens in an eventful Saturday afternoon in London today.
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