Preview: Manchester United vs West Ham United - prediction, team news, lineups

Ten points and 10 places apart in the Premier League table before the start of gameweek 14, Manchester United and West Ham United round off the midweek action at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.

The Red Devils reignited their revival over the weekend with a 2-1 comeback triumph at Crystal Palace, while the Irons were left to rue a nonsensical Lucas Paqueta red card in a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Match preview

One retaken penalty and two free kicks later, Man United snapped Crystal Palace's longest-ever unbeaten home record in the Premier League, conquering the Eagles at a ground where Oliver Glasner's side had previously gone 12 straight games without defeat.

Jean-Philippe Mateta's second bite at the spot-kick cherry put the Eagles in front, but the formerly misfiring Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount both benefitted from Bruno Fernandes free kicks to turn the tide in the Red Devils' favour.

A successful away day was exactly what the doctor ordered for Man United after their lowly home loss to 10-man Everton, and the Red Devils enter gameweek 14 in seventh place in the table, just three points adrift of Chelsea in third spot.

After overseeing four defeats from his side's first seven matches of the new season in all tournaments, Ruben Amorim has presided over just one loss from Man Utd's last seven games, but the Portuguese is at risk of setting yet another unwanted Red Devils record.

Should the hosts lose on Thursday, Amorim would have suffered 10 Premier League defeats at Old Trafford in just 20 matches, thus reaching 10 top-flight home losses in quicker time than any other Man United manager.

Festive cheer was also in short supply for Man United last winter, as they are on a three-game Premier League losing run in the month of December, failing to score a single goal in that time.

However, the Old Trafford faithful may be feeling the Christmas spirit more than the visiting crowd, whose side's three-match unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of a revitalised Liverpool side in gameweek 13, albeit thanks in no small part to a dose of disciplinary madness.

In between Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo's goals, Paqueta talked himself into a red card before an astounding online outburst at the FA, accusing the authorities of a lack of support while he was investigated - and eventually cleared - of spot-fixing charges.

Results elsewhere this week could now plunge Nuno Espirito Santo's 17th-placed side into the relegation zone before Thursday's game, in which the Irons boss will endeavour to claim his first Premier League away win as West Ham manager at the fifth attempt.

It has been 15 years since a West Ham boss failed to win any of their first five top-flight away games - Avram Grant suffered that fate in 2010 - but the Irons can take confidence from their incredible double over the Red Devils in the 2024-25 season.

A 2-1 win at the London Stadium - which proved to be Erik ten Hag's final match in charge of the Manchester giants - preceded a 2-0 success at Old Trafford in May, meaning that the Hammers could now secure back-to-back league wins on Man United's turf for the first time since 1934.

Manchester United Premier League form:

West Ham United Premier League form:

Team News

After missing Man Utd's last two matches with a head injury - one that was sustained in a training-ground accident - Matheus Cunha is back in training with the Red Devils and on course to be available on Thursday evening.

However, Mount and Zirkzee arguably have no right to lose their spots in the first XI after their confidence-boosting goals at Selhurst Park, so Cunha may have to settle for a place on the bench.

The Brazilian's anticipated return would leave Benjamin Sesko (knee) and Harry Maguire (thigh) as the hosts' only two absentees, after Lisandro Martinez made his long-awaited return from a knee injury as a late substitute on Sunday.

Amorim revealed in his press conference that his side have another couple of doubts, although he refused to name names.

Cunha's compatriot Paqueta will sit out this fixture through suspension after his referee rant over the weekend - already his second ban of the season after a totting-up of yellow cards - but Santo can explore a couple of avenues to replace him.

The Portuguese can shift Mateus Fernandes to a central role and introduce Luis Guilherme out wide - Crysencio Summerville is a major doubt with a knock - or start Tomas Soucek, Freddie Potts and Soungoutou Magassa in a defence-heavy midfield.

Lukasz Fabianski (back) and Oliver Scarles (shoulder) are West Ham's only other two fitness concerns for Thursday's game, in which Jarrod Bowen will aim to become the first Hammers player to score in three successive Premier League matches against Man Utd since Jermain Defoe from 2001 to 2002.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Lammens; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Shaw; Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Mbeumo, Mount; Zirkzee

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Diouf; Potts, Soucek; Bowen, Fernandes, Guilherme; Wilson

We say: Manchester United 2-0 West Ham United

West Ham's previous purple patch at home did not translate into results on the road for Santo, whose side should become the latest victims of a rejuvenated Red Devils team.

With Cunha expected to return, Fernandes pulling the creative strings and both Zirkzee and Mount back among the goals, the stage is set for another Man United win.

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