OLE’S AWAY
United subs leave Irons in a spin and give
IT’S not a recommended tactic – but woe betide any team that scores first at home against Manchester United.
It’s something akin to a death sentence this season.
This clash at the London Stadium was the fifth time Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had witnessed his men falling behind away from Old Trafford this season.
And it was the fifth time they fought back to win.
In doing so, the Norwegian again wrote himself into the club record books, extending a run of consecutive away victories to nine.
The Red Devils boss hailed the feat as exceptional, but has to take credit for making changes at halftime that again sparked the fightback – as happened at Southampton last week.
But instead of taking the plaudits himself for altering the outcome by calling Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford from the bench, he showered his team with praise.
He said: “We were playing against a very good side. They’ve drawn with Manchester City, they should have got points at
Liverpool, and have beaten Wolverhampton and Leicester.
“And we weren’t at the races in the first half.
“But we have done this too many times now, coming back from one-down, for it to be a coincidence.
“We have character and belief. We always trust ourselves, but there is no shouting or screaming.”
West Ham looked well on top and went into the break a goal to the good after Tomas
Soucek bundled home at the far post following a corner.
But a magnificent long-range effort from Paul Pogba dragged United level before Mason Greenwood finished off an Alex Tel les cross and Rashford settled the outcome from Juan Mata’s through-ball.
The equaliser was controversial in as much as keeper Dean Henderson’s long punt forward went out of play, according to the Hammers. Solskjaer admitted it might have been unlucky but Irons boss David Moyes was adamant he had fallen victim to an injustice.
Moyes said: “The ball went over my head on the touchline and there was no one in a better position to see it than me.
“The linesman is claiming he didn’t see it. It was a poor decision.
“The ball was out of play. The players’ reaction gives the best way to look at it and all our players knew it was out of play as well.
“His first decision is to see whether the ball is out or not. I applauded after I saw the ball go out of play. After that, we turned off. I certainly though to play.
“But we didn’t kill had the chance to in
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We had loads of possession but we did not go anywhere with the ball, though we stretched them in the second half
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uble red eek, to be ready when you are called upon. Bruno and Marcus came on and did well.
“We had loads of possession but we didn’t go anywhere with the ball.
“We stretched them in the second half. The quality was better and the goals were exceptional.
“We’re waiting for Mason’s season to get started. He’s a great finisher. The first was top quality from Paul, too.
“We got away with a poor performance in the first half.
“But to come from behind and win five times on the bounce away from home is exceptional.”