Erik ten Hag will be left wondering how his Manchester United side came away empty-handed from the London Stadium after suffering a 2-1 defeat to West Ham. The visitors dominated the first half, creating a series of opportunities, only to squander them all.
The home crowd voiced their displeasure as the Hammers were booed off at half-time, with United seemingly in control.
It felt inevitable that if the visitors maintained their pressure, they would leave East London with three points. Yet, what followed was a second-half collapse that allowed West Ham to snatch the victory.
The turning point came not just through a controversial penalty decision but also through tactical adjustments from West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui, whose changes at the break swung the momentum firmly in the hosts’ favour.
Ten Hag’s Frustrations and a Controversial Penalty:
West Ham’s revival was capped by a late penalty that left Ten Hag and his players fuming. The spot-kick was awarded after Matthijs de Ligt tangled with Danny Ings inside the area. Initially, referee David Coote waved play on, but VAR instructed him to review the incident.
After several replays, Coote decided that De Ligt’s contact warranted a penalty, which Jarrod Bowen calmly converted in the 92nd minute to seal the win.
While Ten Hag questioned the legitimacy of the decision, he conceded that West Ham had edged the second half. “It was dubious, and he’d be right to say so,” a pundit remarked after the game. “But on the balance of play, the Hammers deserved it after the break.”
Lopetegui’s Game-Changing Adjustments:
The tactical acumen of Lopetegui was on full display, with three changes at half-time transforming West Ham’s approach. Speaking after the match, the Spaniard revealed the thought process behind his adjustments:
“Obviously, there were some good moments from our goalkeeper, from the defenders and some luck, but 0-0 at half-time, it was a good way to move on.
“I was thinking that maybe we could change a few different things. We needed to win more individual fights. We needed to be more aggressive with our ball. We needed to be more dangerous in [attack]. So, that’s why we were thinking about Crysencio in the second half and we put on Tomáš [Souček] and JC [Todibo] too.
“They did well, but it’s about all the team, so we are happy for them. The mental approach of the players, taking the ball, taking the game to United.”
The introduction of Crysencio Summerville gave West Ham a new attacking edge, as his pace and trickery caused problems that United’s defenders had earlier contained against Michail Antonio.
Soucek and Todibo added much-needed physicality, shifting the balance of the contest in West Ham’s favour.
A Damning Reflection on Ten Hag’s United:
Lopetegui’s post-match comments exposed deeper issues within the United setup. His reference to winning individual battles suggests that West Ham’s desire and fight outmatched United’s in the second half.
It was a familiar pattern for United fans—dominance early on, only to fade and allow the opposition back into the game.
This mental fragility has been a recurring theme throughout Ten Hag’s tenure. The tendency for heads to drop after setbacks, or for the team to lose focus after taking the lead, has plagued his reign.
Now in his third season, with the majority of the squad shaped by his signings, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to blame the players alone for these lapses.
West Ham, having been booed off by their own supporters at half-time, should have been there for the taking.
Yet, instead of capitalising, United fell into a familiar trap—one that opposition managers are becoming wise to.
Teams know that United can be rattled by intensity and crowd pressure, a hallmark of a mentally fragile side.
For all the changes made to the squad under Ten Hag, the core issues remain. While the players have come and gone, the Dutchman’s inability to instil resilience in his side is becoming a glaring problem.