Man Utd close in on CL go back with West Ham win
Manchester United tightened their grasp on a return to the Champions League next season as Craig Dawson's own objective earned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men a 1-0 win over West Ham on Sunday.
Victory moved United back over Leicester into second in the Premier Little league and closed the gap to runaway leaders Manchester City to 14 points.
Despite as well having a casino game in hand on the local rivals, the Crimson Devils are actually unlikely to haul found in Pep Guardiola's men but do now like a nine-point cushion more than the fifth-placed Hammers found in the battle for Champions League spots.
Former United boss David Moyes has didn't win on 15 attempts as the visiting manager at Outdated Trafford and the Scot was remaining to rue an overly careful approach before falling in back of early in the next half.
Without the ineligible Jesse Lingard, who is on loan from United, Moyes also dropped Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma as club captain Mark Noble came back with full-back Ben Johnson playing in a far more advanced midfield role.
The house side were without the firepower of Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani because of injury, so Mason Greenwood got the chance to lead the line and came closest to opening the scoring in an initial half of few chances.
Greenwood's fierce left-footed shot was brilliant turned onto the content by Lukasz Fabianski while the 35-year-aged Pole showed as to why he was handed a fresh one-year agreement this week.
There is nothing Fabianski could do to stop the simply goal as Dawson's header flashed into his own net from Bruno Fernandes's corner eight minutes into the second period.
Fabianski produced another fine conserve to deny Fernandes doubling United's lead shortly later on.
Moyes sent on Manuel Lanzini and Benrahma for the ultimate 28 minutes and West Ham finally found life as an attacking force.
Jarrod Bowen headed extensive a golden prospect, although he had recently been flagged for offside.
As the visitors pushed forward, though, United became more dangerous on the counter-attack and Greenwood smashed against the post for another time after a lung-bursting manage from inside his own half.
A better defensive record has been essential to some other season of improvement under Solskjaer, which is reportedly set to start to see the Norwegian rewarded with a fresh contract.
The hosts held away for a 4th consecutive Premier League tidy sheet to close in on the much-needed sources of Champions Little league football following season after a complete year without crowds at their 75,000 capacity home.
