West Ham 1-0 Manchester United: David de Gea HOWLER gifts Said Benrahma first half winner

The abiding memory from this encounter will be of David de Gea shaking his head in confusion at how he’d managed to get himself into such a mess.

He wasn’t the only one. Only De Gea could explain how he let Said Benrahma’s shot squirm through his grasp.

You’d imagine his manager Erik ten Hag will be demanding that explanation.

While West Ham all but secured their Premier League status with this brilliant victory – United are in danger of relinquishing their grip on a place in the top-four.

They are running out of steam at the wrong time. Liverpool are breathing down their necks.

They may, perhaps, find solace in the fact that third-placed Newcastle also lost on Sunday.

But that would be clutching at straws. Because here in east London they were – for the most part – abject.

Said Benrahma scored the only goal of the game as he took a chance with an early shot from outside the box

Czech midfielder Thomas Soucek also put the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside

They were blown away by West Ham’s intensity. The Hammers wanted it more and left with what they wanted.

United have won just twice in their last six; one of those in via a penalty shoot-out against Brighton.

Ultimately, De Gea cost them here at the London Stadium but generally speaking, their form should be a bigger concern heading into the final weeks of the season.

Yet for the opening 25 minutes, there was a fluency in United’s play that West Ham struggling to tame.

But even in the throws of their bright opening, there were signs of the embarrassment De Gea was about to endure when he was rescued by Wout Weghorst’s diligence after the goalkeeper’s poorly directed pass into midfield was easily read by Declan Rice.

Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony all missed decent opportunities inside the opening 10 minutes as United flew out of the blocks.

David Moyes was grateful for the returns of key trio Rice, Tomas Soucek and Nayef Aguerd – who missed the midweek loss at Manchester City through illness.

Who knows if the Hammers would have managed to keep United at bay during the early stages without them.

Christian Eriksen swept another chance in the 15th minute wide before Rashford struck a post.

United were in control. In complete control.

But there are some things you cannot legislate for; this was one such a occasion.

Okay, perhaps Luke Shaw could have been meatier in the tackle. Maybe Aaron Wan-Bissaka could have chased harder.

It may have been Benrahma who raced away to celebrate West Ham’s eventual winner and his 10th of the season.

But this goal was all about De Gea’s shortcomings.

Benrahma’s 27th minute effort should have been routinely saved; somehow the ball rolled under De Gea’s hand.

The United keeper is compiling a growing catalogue of aberrations.

The cameras panned to Ten Hag, who looked unflinchingly into thin air. You wonder what was going through his mind.

Had Shaw not got a decisive touch to deny Jarrod Bowen then United may have found themselves two goals adrift.

Antony’s deflected effort struck the outside of Fabianski’s far post as United regained their composure before De Gea finally thwarted Benrahma on the stroke of half time. If only he’d done that earlier.

Manchester United produced a number of promising moments going forward but could not find a way past Lukasz Fabianski

Wout Weghorst failed to impress in a deeper number 10 role and hit his best chance of the game straight at the Hammers keeper

The Hammers were furious that the Algerian’s follow up effort – that appeared to strike Victor Lindelof on the arm – was not referred to VAR.

United only had themselves to blame at this stage. They’d created the openings but lacked a cutting edge.

It’s not the first time their efficiency in front of goal has cost them in recent weeks.

No wonder Ten Hag has put a new centre-forward at the top of his summer wishlist. You wouldn’t be surprised if he is on the look out for a new goalkeeper too.

De Gea was enduring a dreadful evening. West Ham had the ball in the net again in the 52nd minute only for referee to rule the goal out for a foul by Michail Antonio on De Gea.

Weghorst saw his shot from the edge of the box comfortably saved by Fabianski in the 56th minute.

But for all of United’s endeavours to drag themselves level, West Ham were keeping them at arms length.

United’s schedule has been gruelling, it appears to be catching up with them.

Soucek rippled the side netting with an acrobatic scissor kick from Lucas Paqueta’s stood-up cross before Antonio ripped through United with a barnstorming run that required Wan-Bissaka to scythe him down.

West Ham were executing David Moyes’ plan down to a tee. In the heat of battle, Rice was at his rambunctious best.

Every blade of grass. Attentive in his own half. Expressive in the other. West Ham fans should enjoy his brilliance while they can.

A special mention, too, for Paqueta, whose influence has grown in this West Ham team. He was excellent again On Sunday night.

Soucek thought he’d headed the Hammers into a two-goal lead in the 73rd minute from Paqueta’s cross but the Czech midfielder had started into an offside position.

Declan Rice was at his best in the West Ham midfield and seemed to cover every blade of grass 

Lucas Paqueta was also excellent as he continues to grow into his role at the London Stadium

Rashford saw a shot tipped over the bar by Fabianski before the game was halted for a lengthy period following a sickening head collision between Soucek and Wan-Bissaka as the game entered it’s final 10 minutes.

The treatment added eight minutes of injury time onto the game. Eight further minutes of suffering for West Ham’s supporters – or United’s depending on which way you look at it.

But the anguish was worth it. Those in claret and blue erupted.

Those in red – and a certain goalkeeper wearing illuminous green – couldn’t get off the pitch quick enough