Reds hope to Hammer home season sweep on Sunday

Double Trouble

Manchester United hope to complete their first league double against West Ham in a while when the two sides face each other Sunday from Old Trafford.

It’s something the Reds haven’t been able to do since the 2013/14 season when current Hammers boss David Moyes was in charge.

Sunday will be a critical match for both sides in the final stretch of this domestic campaign.

For the Reds, they need to keep winning and hope their arch-rivals Manchester City slip up if they want to have any chance of winning the league.

The Hammers have a game in hand on the top four teams and could move into a Champions League position with a win and Chelsea loss.

If David Moyes’ side can win Sunday, it would also put them within three points of Man United in the table.

Lineup News

First-choice keeper David de Gea is back in Manchester after leaving to see his daughter’s birth back in Spain.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his situation is “touch and go” because of COVID travel regulations.

We’ll wait and see whether he will get the start or if Dean Henderson will get the call once again.

Anthony Martial has a hip issue that will need assessing before he can officially play.

Marcus Rashford could return from an ankle injury.

Edinson Cavani, Phil Jones, Paul Pogba, Donny van de Beek and Juan Mata are all expected to be on the sidelines with injuries.

Because of the terms of his loan deal, Jesse Lingard will not play for the Hammers Sunday.

It’ll be either Jarrod Bowen or Ben Johnson who will take his spot.

Arthur Masuaku, Angelo Ogbonna, Andriy Yarmolenko, and Darren Randolph are all out with injuries.

Don’t start what you can’t finish.

West Ham hasn’t had any trouble starting fast when they face the Red Devils, but closing the deal has been a whole other story.

The Hammers have led United at half-time in each of their last three Premier League encounters, but they’ve gone on to win just one.

In their first Premier League meeting earlier this season, the Londoners squandered a 1-0 lead only to fall 3-1 to the Reds.

No team has ever led Man United in four straight Premier League encounters at the half.

Bringing it home

Home field has become much more of an advantage for the Reds recently.

United have scored 15 goals in their last three home EPL matches, scoring at least three times in each game.

The last time they notched three or more in four consecutive games in league play was between May and September 2011.

Old Trafford hasn’t been kind to the Hammers through the years.

West Ham is winless in their last 12 Premier League visits to Untied’s home ground.

Three sides from London have beaten the Reds on their home turf this season, but it’s been quite some time since four English capital teams have done so.

The last time United lost to four different London teams at Old Trafford was in 1986-87. That season the Reds fell to Charlton, Chelsea, West Ham, and Wimbledon.

Putting up goose eggs

Consistency at the back has been hard to come by for United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

If his side can hold West Ham scoreless on Sunday, however, it’d be the first time his team’s kept four consecutive clean sheets under his tenure.

Monthly Routine

By now, we’re used to seeing Bruno Fernandes score and assist in United goals regularly.

As if his resume with the Reds isn’t impressive enough, the Portuguese midfielder is beginning to look a little overqualified with his consistency.

He’s scored in each of the first 11 months that he’s made a Premier League appearance (February 2020- March 2021).

The last player to achieve that feat was Charlie Austin between August 2014 and January 2016.

Personal Best

With Jesse Lingard unavailable, David Moyes may look to an unlikely source to get his first win at Old Trafford.

Craig Dawson has come out of nowhere to be a scoring threat for the Hammers this season.

The defender has three goals in 12 Premier League games this season.

When the Englishman features for the London outfit, his team tends to do well.

The Hammers have won eight of their 12 matches that Dawson’s appeared in. That’s the best ratio of any player to play ten times for the Hammers.

Managers Words

Despite having beaten the Hammers twice already this season, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says its been no picnic so far.

“They have been brilliant. We played them in the FA Cup not long ago as well, and we went to extra time. It was a tight even game. He (David Moyes) has got players who score goals, creative, they defend really well and are really difficult on set plays.”

The Reds won 1-0 in an FA Cup tie earlier this year with an extra-time goal from Scott McTominay.

Game Info

Sunday’s game from Old Trafford begins at 7:15 pm. (JSL).