Scott Mctominay’s return is a boost, but midfield remains a problem for Man United

Manchester United bounced back from their shock 1-2 defeat at Young Boys in the Champions League, to register a morale-boosting victory at West Ham United. The action-packed match at London Stadium had several talking points. From Cristiano Ronaldo continuing his goalscoring streak to Jesse Lingard’s magnificent return and the late penalty save by David De Gea, the game was a feast for the neutrals. However, the pre-match talks were dominated by only two things – how will United respond to the midweek disappointment and can Scott Mctominay be the answer to the midfield problem? The team’s response was good, particularly in the first half, and Mctominay’s impact was visible in the middle of the park. He gave extra muscle and energy to an otherwise soft United midfield, but his return might not necessarily solve all the problems in that area of the pitch.

How the match went?

Red Devils found themselves a goal behind in the first half when Said Benrahma’s strike from outside the area sneaked into the goal after taking a huge deflection off Raphael Varane. But United’s response was swift. They put a lot of pressure on the home side and their positive play paid off when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his fourth goal for the club in his second return. A cross by Bruno Fernandes was flicked onto the goal by the Portuguese superstar, but his attempt was saved by West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. However, Ronaldo turned in the rebound to level the scoreline.

Second half was all about United pushing for the three points, however, the home side defended resolutely and United’s lack of cutting edge did not help their cause. Just when it seemed like the match will end in a stalemate, Jesse Lingard scored a wonder goal on his return to West Ham – where he spent the second half of last season on loan. But the drama was far from over. In the dying seconds, the home side were given a penalty, thanks to Luke Shaw’s handball in the box. Mark Noble came from the bench just for the penalty, but David De Gea had the final say, stopping it brilliantly, as United maintained their positive start to the league campaign.

What was the takeaway?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have responded positively to the poor result in the midweek in Bern, Switzerland. The tempo in the first half was breath-taking from both teams. Away to West Ham has never been easy for any side, but United handled the pressure well and moved the ball quicker and were purposeful with possession. They deservedly got the equaliser after going behind and the Reds’ pressing game was equally good.

The second half, on the other hand, was more in line with United’s recent performances. Solskjaer’s team struggled to break down a stubborn defence that sat deep and gave little space between their players. It needed a moment of brilliance from Lingard and De Gea to help the club return to Manchester with all three points. The rest of the players struggled to break down the home side’s resilience.

United’s midfield – in particular – was pedestrian with its passing game in the second half. Mctominay, who returned to action following a minor groin operation, has improved his passing side of the game, but still, he is not at the level required to run United’s midfield. His partner, Fred, is yet to prove his doubters wrong both with and without the ball. The midfielders rarely switched play and were content to pass it to a nearby teammate rather than try and pick out the runners behind West Ham’s defence.

There was a lack of urgency, as United continued to rely on select individuals to score or create chances. Having said that, all credit to Solskjaer and his boys for finding a way to win despite a sub-par second half performance. However, if United are to be genuine title contenders, they must improve their passing game, and the midfield needs to contribute more to the attacking play.