Manchester United 2-1 West Ham: 5 Talking Points

Manchester United moved on to the FA Cup Semis with their win over West Ham at Upton Park.

Manchester United are one step closer to silverware this season as a result of their FA Cup Quarterfinal Replay victory over West Ham United.

The Red Devils got off to a slow start but eventually broke the deadlock with a beautiful strike from Marcus Rashford. Marouane Fellaini added to the tally to give United a 2-0 lead, before a goal from West Ham’s Thompkins brought the deficit to just one for the Hammers. Manchester United’s defense held firm to secure the win in the end thanks to a fine second half performance from David de Gea.

Under immense pressure to get a result, Louis van Gaal‘s team answered the critics. The following are the five talking points from the euphoric win in the last FA Cup match at the Boleyn Ground.

Rashford’s mental state is beyond his years

When Van Gaal substituted the 18-year-old at half time of the Tottenham match, supporters were outraged. The striker hadn’t made an impact in the proceedings to that point, but neither had the rest of the squad. It was an incredibly harsh decision by the manager, especially considering he left the struggling Marcos Rojo in the team.

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But as a response to the weekend’s questionable removal, Rashford played with a sense of purpose against the Hammers. He looked fluid in attack with clever maneuvers to get past defenders in search of a shot or key pass to his teammates. His fine performance was capped off by a wonderful top corner strike, a stunning finish with the potential to win goal of the month for April.

Fellaini more comfortable in the no. 10 role

Against West Ham, the Belgian was used because of his ability to directly mark Andy Carroll when defending set pieces. It has been a weakness of this Manchester United team in the past, but Fellaini’s strength was able to rectify that in this case. Fortunately, Van Gaal used him in the attacking midfield rather than paired alongside Michael Carrick in the heart of the midfield.

Fellaini has always been a no. 10, dating back to his days under David Moyes at Everton. But ever since the Scottish manager used the big man in a deeper lying role at United, everyone seems to have forgotten that he is better used further up the pitch. His height and physicality make him a natural target man, and his lack of pace is less important when he has less defending to do. Wednesday’s match even featured some impressive dribbling from the Belgian international.

David de Gea masks defensive frailties

Manchester United should consider themselves lucky to progress to the next round without having to play extra time in the replay. After Thompkins’s goal brought West Ham within a score, the opposition increasingly pushed for an equalizer. The Red Devil back four fell apart on several occasions, opening the door for the Hammers to get their desperation goal.

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But De Gea firmly shut that door. The Spaniard made several key saves, the first of which came with an outstanding foot save on an Antonio attempt. Then, at point blank range, the world-class keeper parried away a strike before proving equal to the eventual rebound attempt. His reflexes are remarkable and his positioning impeccable, both necessities to account for weaknesses in the United defense.

Jesse Lingard will not feature at no. 10 again

In a move that eluded the understanding of all supporters, Van Gaal had experimented with Lingard operating from the center of Manchester United’s attacking midfield. Though he didn’t have dreadfully bad performances, he clearly wasn’t realizing his full potential. In the FA Cup match, the manager returned to conventional thinking and played his winger on the wing.

Lingard’s return to his favored position coincided with a return to a higher level of play. He had two shots after cutting in to the center of the field, both of which were a whisker away from finding the back of the net. With less pressure to maintain possession on the wing than centrally, the 23-year-old can operate with more freedom and risk.

United’s bench will soon be stacked

The Manchester United squad is nearly back to full strength with Wayne Rooney the newest player to make his return from injury. The skipper came on for the final four minutes after starting on the bench with other big names:

With further progression towards full fitness, Rooney will likely return to the starting squad in the near future. That will shake up the attack a bit, but whoever is displaced is sure to feature from the bench.

Next: United 2-1 West Ham: Player Ratings

With the services of Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, and Juan Mata also available from the United bench against West Ham, Van Gaal had a plethora of options. Such a factor could prove useful in the closing stages of the season.