West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has a habit of frustrating the life out Manchester United and, thanks to some supreme contributions from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Disasi, Tomas Soucek and El Hadji Malick Diouf, he very nearly did so again at the London Stadium.
Following a first-half in which Crysencio Summerville threatened Sanne Lemmens from distance – the only shot on target the Hammers mustered – this always felt like a game in which one rare moment of quality was likely to break the deadlock.
Either that, or a mistake.
A DEVASTATING finale! 😩
Give us your immediate reaction after two points are snatched away…
In the end, it was a bit of both. Luke Shaw dived in for West Ham United’s 50th minute opener, but the delivery from Jarrod Bowen and the run from Tomas Soucek were excellent and efficient in equal measure.
El Hadji Malick Diouf provided a first assist of Nuno’s tenure in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Burnley. This, on a night when the Hammers needed to be at their most diligent and organised, the Senegal international showcased another side of his game head-to-head with Amad Diallo.
It may be little coincidence that Man United’s stunning last-gasp equaliser, via Benjamin Sesko, came from that flank once Diouf had been substitute.
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Manchester United fans hail El Hadji Malick Diouf after West Ham draw
Malick Diouf’s defensive qualities have been criticised at times, even during an impressive debut season in English football. This, though, was a night in which the youngster proved he can go toe-to-toe with one of the trickiest, most unpredictable wingers in the Premier League.
“Diouf has pocketed Amad all game, while Summerville is just embarrassing Dalot every chance he gets,” one Man United fan wrote on X, West Ham’s left-side the difference in the most tight and tense encounter.
“Amad being locked up by Diouf is a problem,” another said. “Compounded by [the injured Patrick] Dorgu’s absence killing United’s presence on the left.”
“Let’s be honest, Bowen has completely pocketed Luke Shaw. And Diouf has completely pocketed Amad on the other side.”
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“Diouf has had Amad in an iron pocket all game.”
“One of the few games where Amad has been neutralised. Diouf is the real deal. He leaves no casualties on that flank, can deliver a wicked cross going forward and defensively solid with those long legs.”
“Amad cannot take Diouf.
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