Survival With Style

The phrase 'mathematically safe' can now be erased from the memory of West Ham supporters, at least for now, as the team held on for a well deserved draw away to a resurgent Manchester United at Old Trafford. Paul Pogba's leaping salmon hand ball from a Declan Rice srtike was the cue for 'big mick' Antonio to step up and take the penalty that was awarded. Many Hammers fans watched on with trepidation as Mr West Ham, captain Mark Noble, ceded the penalty taking role that he has made his own over the years in order for Antonio to reach double figures for this season's goal scoring.

A Noble gesture indeed! After a nervy start where the home team had almost total possession, David Moyes, returning to the 'scene of the crime', will have felt great satisfaction with how his players rallied to the cause to such an extent that it was sometimes difficult to know which half of the pitch was the away team's and which the home team's.

Having coped with Manchester United's expected onslaught, the Irons took more and more control of the game, ultimately leading to the penalty earned just before half time. The second half saw the home team throw everything they could at West Ham, eventually scoring through their 'wonder kid' Mason Greenwood, but rather than buckle as usually happens when teams come back at them, Moyes' boys dug in and blunted the Red Devils repeated attacks.

Both teams could have scored towards the end of the match, and it is a pity West Ham were unable to do the double over Manchester United who deserved to lose because of their propensity for fouling Bowen in particular but generally anyone that made them look stupid, which happened on numerous occasions.

Indeed if Captain Mark had adopted the Manchester United ethos of playing, he would have dropped like a stone when 'head butted', he could easily have got the opposition player sent off, but chose to remain on his feet, and be a MAN! Rolling around on the floor pretending to be seriously hurt would not enter his psyche in any way shape or form, thank heavens.

The Irons go in to this weekend's home game against relegation threatened Aston Villa with the shackles of fear removed,and hopefully can 'do a job' on Villa, who would already have been confirmed as relegated had VAR not mistakenly awarded them a goal that should never have stood in their recent game against Sheffield United, a club who themselves may miss out on a place in Europe because of the two points they 'lost'.

Sean Beanbag and his media cronies will be all over the 'miscarriage of justice', and you know how much they love to sue people in the courts, their litigation department must be licking their lips and dusting of the judgment papers from when they successfully sued West Ham over the Tevezgate affair. It is difficult to be unbiased, especially as Chris Wilder come across as a decent fellow, but it couldn't happen to a more apt team, we hope they spend a fortune, maybe in the region of £24 Million, on legal fees with no reward, it's called Karma!

The West Ham team that played at Old Trafford bears absolutely no resemblance to the insipid displays that were witnessed during last weeks of Manuel Pellegrini's regime, Hammers are safe and give Moyes credit, they did it with style following the Barclays Premier League restart, survival with style. - Ed