Is Haaland human after all?published at 08:29 28 October
08:29 28 October
Chris Collinson BBC Sport statistician
It’s obviously silly to criticise Erling Haaland (especially after he scored against Southampton) but by his own elite standards, he wasn’t at his most clinical.
Either that or he had a day where he was just unlucky.
'Ten Hag has had all of his excuses taken away'published at 08:06 28 October
08:06 28 October
Former Premier League goalkeeer Paul Robinson says Manchester United's defeat to West Ham "is damning" for Erik ten Hag and "unacceptable" given the price tag of his squad.
"A team like Manchester United can not be 14th in the Premier League," Robinson said on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "We know it is still early on in the season but they have only won three games.
"Ten Hag seems very resilient and robust from any outside criticism. He speaks of this process and he is going to do it his way, but it is unacceptable for a team that have spent over £600m to be in this position.
"His contract has been extended and he has been given the players that he wants, so he has had all of his excuses taken away from him. He has been backed but it is the results and performances that will now decide his future.
'They have made harder work of a few games than they needed to'published at 07:54 28 October
07:54 28 October
Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer says that Manchester City are currently making "harder work of games than they need to".
"Manchester City have set such ridiculously high standards, so now we might be a little bit nit-picky towards them," Shearer said on Match of the Day. "They have made harder work of a few games than they needed to.
"For example, they have gone behind in a few games but it is absolutely right to highlight that they are currently without Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne.
"But, if you look at their last six results in the Premier League, they have gone behind in some games but they have still somehow found a way to get back into things.
"I think that once they go deeper into competitions, like the Champions League or whatever it may be, they will miss Rodri more than what they have done up to now.
"But you cannot deny that they are an incredible team."
'Ridiculous' and 'soft' decisionpublished at 07:50 28 October
07:50 28 October
Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker says West Ham should not have been awarded a penalty for Matthijs de Ligt's challenge on Danny Ings.
After waving away initial penalty appeals, referee David Coote was sent to the pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR) to review De Ligt's challenge and overturned his previous decision by pointing to the spot.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says the penalty feels "unfair and unjust" and as a consequence of Jarrod Bowen converting from the spot, United fell to their fourth Premier League defeat of the season.
"It is not often I agree with Ten Hag but on this occasion I do because it was not a penalty," said Reo-Coker on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "De Ligt goes to challenge Ings and it is more of a coming together than a penalty.
"It is soft. If we are going to start giving penalties for that then we are just opening up another can of worms because it is ridiculous.
"I feel for United because it is harsh but it wasn't a great performance from them anyway."
Gossip: Gvardiol to be offered 2030 contract extensionpublished at 07:46 28 October
07:46 28 October
Manchester City are set to offer Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol, 22, an improved contract worth £150,000 a week to extend his stay at Etihad Stadium by two years until 2030. (Star), external
England and Chelsea attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, 22, remains committed to the Blues despite being linked with a move away, including a return to Manchester City. (Football Insider), external
West Ham 2-1 Man Utd: Key statpublished at 17:38 27 October
17:38 27 October
This is Manchester United's second-lowest points tally after nine games of a Premier League season (11 points), with 2019-20 (10 points) being the only campaign in which they have had fewer points at this stage.
Only Crystal Palace and Southampton (6 each) have scored fewer Premier League goals than Manchester United (8) this season.
West Ham 2-1 Man Utd: Ten Hag's side rue missed chancespublished at 17:29 27 October
17:29 27 October
Emily Salley BBC Sport journalist
Erik ten Hag has reason to feel aggrieved by the penalty decision that resulted in Manchester United's 2-1 defeat by West Ham.
However, he should be angrier at his team's missed efforts in front of goal.
By half-time, United should have been out of reach.
Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford were both unable to get the ball out of their feet in the middle of the box before their efforts were eventually smothered by goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
While Alejandro Garnacho's first strike that rattled off the crossbar was an audacious one, he should have done better with the second that he slammed wide.
The 20-year-old Argentine was a constant threat and it looks like he is fast becoming United's most important player up front.
Rashford, meanwhile, has yet to hit form this season and had a quiet afternoon in east London before he was subbed off for Amad Diallo.
Only Crystal Palace and Southampton (six each) have scored fewer Premier League goals than Manchester United (eight) this season.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will be wanting to talk about the VAR decision that cost his team at the London Stadium, but the really important question is: what do co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth think about today's game?
United stuck with Ten Hag after his FA Cup final success against Manchester City last season.
I was told on Friday that the club still want the Dutchman to succeed, but he clearly needs to win matches to do that.
The club did not explicitly offer public backing during the international break earlier this month, so I am not anticipating they will do that in the wake of this defeat.
But, clearly, if the verdict is a negative one, we will know that soon enough.
'It is unfair and unjust' - Ten Hagpublished at 16:32 27 October
16:32 27 October
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day following the defeat at London Stadium: "Three times this season we feel injustice. We have to score, we created so many chances, we should have been two or three goals up.
"In the second-half, we were forcing it but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0, you need big personality and character in the team and we showed resilience to get back into it.
"It is unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty."
On the penalty decision: "It was so difficult to see. Before the season, there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes. That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on-field referee.
"More frustrations, but I can do nothing with that. They don't collect points and that is what we have to do. We have to look in the mirror. When you lose in this way it is a bad feeling."
On whether he has spoken to the officials yet: "I spoke with them but the decision is made. There is no way back and that is football.
"That is the third time I've felt injustice this season. It has a big impact on our team, on our scores and where we are in the table. It is not right."
West Ham 2-1 Man Utd - send us your thoughtspublished at 16:06 27 October
Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 11:12 27 October
11:12 27 October
Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Leicester City and Nottingham Forest.
Sutton's predictions: West Ham v Man Utdpublished at 11:00 27 October
11:00 27 October
Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week nine he takes on rapper Nemzzz, who supports Manchester United.
Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Things did not get any better for Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui with their defeat against Tottenham, and it seems he still doesn’t know what the 'West Ham way' is.
The Hammers need a big improvement, but this game is more about what Manchester United do and whether they turn up.
They were excellent in the second half of their win over Brentford last time out, but now they need to back it up, and for 90 minutes.
Can they do it? You just never know with Manchester United, and I've given up on backing them to beat anyone.
They are inconsistent and what doesn’t help is that they are playing in Turkey in the Europa League on Thursday night, so team selection and tiredness has to come into the equation too.
My daughter is doing some maths revision with me at the moment, working out the area of triangles - you multiply the height by the width, then halve it.
I can get all of those sums right, but I am always wrong about United, so I am going to let her make this prediction.
Nemzzz's prediction: 0-2
United to win. Am I confident? Definitely! Well, I hope so anyway.