Five wins in a row locked up, Manchester United will want to continue their push for a top-four spot by getting the better of West Ham United at the London Stadium on Monday. Jose Mourinho's side are in good form and will back themselves to get the job done against Slaven Bilic's don't-know-what-you're-going-to-get-from-them men.
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Manchester United were on the verge of ending their winning run on New Year's Eve, before two late goals not only prevented a loss but pushed them to a victory as well. Manchester United were 1-0 down to Middlesbrough thanks to Grant Leadbitter's goal, before Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba struck in the final five minutes to give the home side a dramatic victory.
Mourinho will hope for a more stress-free outing in London on Monday. Here is a prediction of the West Ham United vs Manchester United match.
First half: Manchester United, wary of giving away the advantage again, get off to a flying start and Pogba makes it 1-0 with a sumptuous strike. Ander Herrera plays the ball from deep midfield to Pogba, who runs about 10 yards with the ball, before deciding to take a punt from distance. What a strike it is too as the ball goes like a tracer bullet (yay, Ravi Shastri!) into the top corner of the net, leaving Darren Randolph with absolutely no chance of even attempting to make a save.
That fast start helps Manchester United take control of the game, but despite bossing possession, chances are a little hard to come by. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not able to get to the game enough and with Mourinho making a few changes, owing to the fact that this is a second game in two days, the fluidity in attack is missing.
West Ham, however, fail to threaten David De Gea too much at the other end as the players go down the tunnel at halftime with Manchester United in a 1-0 lead.
Second half: West Ham are a different team in the second 45. The passing is crisper and Dimitri Payet is a lot more involved. With Payet's quality, a moment of magic is never too far away and it comes in the shape of a perfect cross – from the left, right onto the head of Andy Carroll, who obliges with a header from eight yards.
Manchester United are a little shaken now, with Mourinho showing his frustration by arguing a few refereeing decisions that go against his team. Talking to the fourth referee does little to get the rhythm back in his players, though, with West Ham looking more likely to pick up the win. Carroll is a constant threat with his aerial ability and if not for De Gea's athletic brilliance, the former Liverpool man would have made it 2-1 in the home team's favour.
The second goal does not come for West Ham, however, with Manchester United slowly gaining back their foothold in the final 20 minutes. The pressure is intense on the West Ham goal now, but despite the best efforts of most, including Pogba and Martial, there are no further goals, with the match finishing at 1-1.
