In a thrilling encounter at London Stadium, West Ham United secured a 2-0 victory over Manchester United, with Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, and Lucas Paquetá once again proving to be the matchwinners.
The trio, who had previously combined to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers, showcased their synergy in the final 20 minutes, propelling West Ham into the Premier League’s top six just in time for Christmas.
The first half saw limited attacking rhythm, with both teams managing only four shots on target. Emerson’s early attempt for West Ham and Alejandro Garnacho’s chance for Manchester United were the closest either side came to scoring.
The opening 45 minutes ended with Tomáš Souček heading wide from James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick.
The second half, however, provided a more engaging spectacle. David Moyes’ tactical switch, placing Bowen in his natural position on the right, and repositioning Kudus and Paquetá centrally, proved pivotal.
Bowen’s goal came on 72 minutes when he capitalized on a rebound from his initial effort, scoring with his right knee.
The second goal occurred six minutes later as Paquetá seized on a defensive mistake by Willy Kambwala and set up Kudus, who clinically finished past André Onana.
West Ham’s ninth win of the season propelled them into sixth place, surpassing Manchester United, at least temporarily. This victory marked only the ninth occasion in 55 Premier League meetings that West Ham emerged triumphant against Manchester United.