Jarrod Bowen and West Ham show Man United’s attack what they’re missing

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On the face of it, a contest between the attacking expertise of Manchester United and West Ham shouldn’t be a contest in any respect. One membership is among the world’s largest, with a gaggle of forwards and wingers purchased for upwards of £350m whereas the Hammers – regardless of their present joyous streak of European kind – have been way more modest of their acquisitions. Substantial sums, however not extreme. But 4 months into this season, the distinction in fortunes have been stark and inform a sorry story at Previous Trafford.

Manchester United’s peculiarly assembled bunch are misfiring. Erik ten Hag’s aspect have gone three video games – 291 minutes – with out a purpose. Their main home-grown star, Marcus Rashford, has been dropped. Bruno Fernandes has wavered from the chic to the inexplicable, whereas £82m winger Antony has annoyed the fanbase along with his tips and sheer lack of substance.

Alejandro Garnacho has confirmed flashes of brilliance, Anthony Martial is solely omnipresent however uninfluential, and Jadon Sancho has been solid apart altogether. And as for his or her No 9 summer time signing Rasmus Hojlund? He’s on the verge of 1,000 minutes with out a league purpose; a damning statistic to start out his United profession, particularly contemplating the striker main the road on this fixture final season, Wout Weghorst, additionally failed to interrupt his Premier League duck. Their high scorer as we enter the festive season is Scott McTominay, predominantly a holding midfielder till not too long ago, with six objectives.

Enter West Ham. Enter Mohammed Kudus, who has hit the bottom operating since his summer time transfer from Ajax, and comes into this recreation off the again of a London Stadium brace in opposition to Wolves final week. Enter Lucas Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse, two forward-thinking playmakers working finely in-tune, and each rested within the midweek Carabao Cup disappointment at Liverpool. However most of all, enter Jarrod Bowen.

The England worldwide, who has honed his craft from the times of non-league with Hereford United to now being one of many Premier League’s standout gamers, has tailored remarkably nicely since shifting right into a central No 9 position, deputising for the injured Michael Antonio. He’s scored 10 Premier League objectives in 16 video games, already beating his tally of six from final season when he featured in each recreation. And he’s earned the plaudits of not simply supervisor David Moyes, however Jurgen Klopp too.

The Liverpool boss, talking earlier than Bowen’s terrific solo effort within the 5-1 loss at Anfield on Wednesday, was gushing in his reward for the 27-year-old: “Bowen steps up in that place [No 9 role]. [He is] most likely my favorite participant apart from all my gamers, I’ve to say. It’s simply nice, what he’s doing and the way he develops.”

Phrases of excessive acclaim. Actually – look away West Ham followers – it’s such an announcement that may solely set off the hearsay mill. Ought to Mohamed Salah go away subsequent summer time for the riches of Saudi Arabia, and even subsequent month, Bowen might nicely be high of Klopp’s wishlist to switch him. There’d be obstacles to that, not least Bowen’s contentment in east London and his new contract signed in October, penning him down till 2030. However the lures of a top-six membership are not often handed up when the cash is correct.

But for now, West Ham followers needn’t fear. Bowen’s software and high quality thrives on common minutes, having missed simply two matches in three-and-a-half seasons of Premier League soccer. He’s a participant on the peak of his powers, thriving because the star man at a membership the place he already has cult hero standing after his match-winner in final 12 months’s Europa Convention League remaining. This season, in a aggressive area, he’s joint-third within the Premier League high scorer charts, behind solely Erling Haaland and Salah.

The problem for United is to cease him. The problem for his or her attacking gamers – notably for somebody in-built an identical model and place equivalent to Antony – is to outshine West Ham’s productive quartet of gamers. Fernandes will return as captain, having missed out within the dire goalless draw at Anfield resulting from suspension. Ten Hag wants a optimistic consequence – having gained simply one in all his final six video games in all competitions – at a stadium the place he misplaced by a solitary purpose in Might due to a mistake by David de Gea, which was possible the ultimate straw for the goalkeeper’s keep at United.

“We’ve got performed very sturdy groups in Liverpool and Bayern Munich, and earlier than we had a poor recreation [vs Bournemouth],” stated Ten Hag on Friday. “At all times points. We’ve got to enhance, we performed superb in opposition to Bayern Munich and Liverpool however we should always have created extra probabilities and been extra scientific in such moments.”

However for Bowen and West Ham, three factors will give house followers the last word current of Christmas cheer. Win on Saturday and they’ll leapfrog their opponents and, at the very least briefly, ascend into the highest six.