After reaching the Europa League final, Manchester United's goal for the season is clear. To compete for this important trophy, Erik ten Hag shared the team's plans before the game. Even though their next Premier League opponents are strong, the team is already preparing for the final. They are using substitutes and young players to test their skills, while reducing training to help everyone rest. This strategy has made Manchester United's recent Premier League matches unpredictable, which is good news for their rivals.

In this match, Manchester United changed their starting lineup significantly. Key players included Marcus Rashford, Achraf Hakimi, Lisandro Martínez, Bruno Fernandes, and Alejandro Garnacho. In defense, Martínez played center, with Luke Shaw and Hakimi on the left and right. Antony and Amad Diallo were wingers, while Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen played in midfield. This smaller lineup helps with running and teamwork but lacks strength and speed, which has been a problem lately.

The game started slowly, with both teams struggling to score. Manchester United controlled the ball at home and focused on attacking from both wings. West Ham United, managed by David Moyes, used a three-back formation and put Tomas Soucek up front. During pressing, Soucek was positioned higher than forwards Kudus and Bowen. West Ham's attack mainly came from Kudus and Bowen, who threatened Manchester United's full-backs. In the 7th minute, Kudus got past Hakimi, leading to a foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka on Ugarte. West Ham had their first chance with a set piece.

Despite the score being 0-0, Manchester United had more ball possession. However, the teamwork between their left and right flanks was awkward. Mount and Garnacho struggled to connect, making it hard to create effective attacks. Amad Diallo showed some skill on the right, but Eriksen couldn't support him well. Their cooperation was messy, and Eriksen's attempt to join the attack on the left in the 22nd minute failed, leaving him out of position.

When they didn't have the ball, Manchester United's issues were clear. For example, Mount mispositioned himself during a pressing effort, creating space for West Ham. After Eriksen returned to defend, there was a gap on the outside. Hakimi and Ugarte's defense was slow. Wan-Bissaka moved inside to connect with Kudus. Manchester United struggled with positioning and coordination, making it hard to handle West Ham's attacks. On offense, without Jadon Sancho and Garnacho, Manchester United found it hard to break through. The team relied on Rashford, but he lacked confidence and missed chances.

Even though West Ham's midfield and forwards were a bit disorganized, Kudus played well and showed strong attacking skills. Since Manchester United plays twice a week and rotates many players, their tactics have changed a lot, which explains their poor performance. Ten Hag made no substitutions in the first half, only switching Mount and Eriksen's positions. This shows that the main goal of the game was to rotate players and observe.