Man United wastes chance to reach Premier League top 5 in 1-1 draw with West Ham

By Canadian Press on December 4, 2025.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United blew the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League on Thursday when West Ham salvaged a late 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Soungoutou Magassa’s 83rd-minute equalizer canceled out Diogo Dalot’s opening goal that had put United on course to move level on points with fourth-place Chelsea.

Bruno Fernandes squandered two chances to score a winner in added time — blazing a shot wide from inside the box and then volleying another off target.

It was another setback for United, which has only won one of its last five games — drawing three.

Despite that run, Ruben Amorim’s team had the opportunity to move within reach of the Champions League places with a win. And that looked likely when in the 58th Casemiro’s long-range shot was controlled in the box by Dalot.

The United defender then spun and powered a shot past West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

It was a game of few chances, with West Ham rarely threatening to find an equalizer. But a late corner saw Jarrod Bowen’s flicked header cleared off the line by Noussair Mazraoui.

Magassa reacted quickest in the box and side-footed his shot low into the corner to spark celebrations from the visiting fans.

The result leaves United in eighth and West Ham 18th.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

James Robson, The Associated Press