Emerson Palmieri ruins the day for West Ham as Man United run riot

By Alessandro Schiavone at Old Trafford

Man United 3-0 West Ham United

Goals: Hojlund, Garnacho 2x

Man United's youthful duo Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho combined to devastating effect to put West Ham United to the sword in 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

That was a fitting tribute ahead of the Busby Boy's 66th death anniversary on Tuesday.

Yet the scoreline looks harsh on the Hammers who had two sliding-door moments either side of the Dane's opening goal.

With the contest still locked at 0-0, Edson Alvarez's point-blank header was sensationally saved by Andre Onana. But the regrets don't there as Emerson Palmieri had the chance to level the game at the start of the second-half only for the Italy international to blow a gilt-edged opportunity, scuffing his effort from a few yards out.

And they also only got themselves to blame for the twenty-time Premier League winners' opener.

After set-piece specialist James Ward-Prowse's free-kick hit the ball, the same player got beaten to a second ball by Casemiro moments later. The ball fell to the ex-Atalanta man who turned Kurt Zouma outsixe in before finishing off in style.

With Harry Maguire defending like prime Fabio Cannavaro the Hammers had their work cut out.

Yet on a rare mistake by England's defender after being caught in possession by Palmieri the latter's atrocious finish rubbed further salt into the wounds.

And how it came back to haunt them as Man United went straight down the other end with Argentine Garnacho doubling their advantage via a deflection off Nayef Aguerd. Had it not come off the Morocco international, Lukas Fabianszki would have saved it as he was heading in the right trajectory.

And Emerson fluffed his lines again when he failed to convert another chance after being teed up by Ward-Prowse.

And like so often football is a reflection of life, with bad things often coming in threes.

So six minutes from time, Garnacho added to his tally and sealed a 3-0 win for the home side.

The leggy east Londoners have been leapfrogged by today's opponents and are now 10 points and three positions adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

And things certainly don't get any easier as they prepare themselves to welcome former "one-of-their-own" and now Arsenal star Declan Rice back to the London Stadium on Sunday.

How they could have done with a player like him today.

Line-ups

West Ham

Starting XI: Areola, Johnson, Zouma, Aguerd, Coufal, Soucek, Alvarez, Emerson Palmieri, Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Bowen

Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Phillips, Mavropanos, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Mubama, Scarles.

Man United

Starting XI: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Mainoo, Casemiro, Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund

Subs: Bayindir, Lindelof, Amrabat, Eriksen, Diallo, Varane, Antony, McTominay, Forson