LONDON, Dec 23: Manchester United’s scoring woes continued in a 2-0 loss at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus netting second-half goals.
United has now failed to score in its last four games in all competitions — that hasn’t happened since 1992 — and in five of its last six matches. Rasmus Hojlund, the club’s $82 million offseason signing, was hauled off in the 57th minute as his Premier League drought extended to 14 games.
What United would give to have a player in the scoring form of Bowen, who exchanged passes with Lucas Paqueta and bundled in a finish — at the second attempt — past goalkeeper Andre Onana to give West Ham the lead in the 72nd minute with his 11th goal in the league this season.
Kudus then pounced on a mistake by Kobbie Mainoo before being played through by Paqueta to drive home the second goal in the 78th. It was the Ghana international’s fourth goal in as many games.
The late goals spoiled a composed debut for United by 19-year-old defender Willy Kambwala, who was brought in to fix a center-back crisis and did little wrong alongside Jonny Evans — a player 16 years older.
It’s the issues at the other end of the field that are likely to be really worrying United manager Erik ten Hag after the team’s 13th defeat in 26 games in all competitions this season.
With the win, West Ham moved ahead of United, which will be in eighth place for Christmas.
Villa draw Sheffield United
Aston Villa missed a chance to go top of the English Premier League when it drew with Sheffield United 1-1 in a game marked by late goals and more VAR disputes on Friday.
Although Villa dominated, Cameron Archer put Sheffield ahead with three minutes left, only for Nicolo Zaniolo to equalize in the seventh minute of time added on.
A win would have taken Villa above Liverpool and Arsenal and leave it sitting in pole position at this stage of the season for the first time since 1998.
Instead, the point left it second on the table, level on points with leader Arsenal and one point more than Liverpool. Liverpool faces Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday.
Villa was superior throughout in front of a boisterous home crowd and it would rue the video referee for decisions that went against it.
Two penalty claims were rejected early in the first half and a Leon Bailey goal was chalked off after 59 minutes when the review spotted a foul on Sheffield goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
Referee Anthony Taylor looked at another possible penalty for handball with 17 minutes remaining but again ruled against the home side.
When the deadlock was broken it came at the other end. Former Villa striker Cameron Archer popped up with a clinical finish after good work from Gustavo Hamer on the left.
But just when Villa looked down and out it got the goal its play deserved. Douglas Luiz flighted a cross into the box and Zaniolo beat Foderingham to nod into the empty net.
The point was a vital one for Sheffield and lifted it off the bottom of the table and a point above Burnley.
For Unai Emery’s side, the draw ended a spectacular run of 15 wins in a row at home. (AP)
