Manchester United welcome top-four rivals West Ham United to Old Trafford this afternoon looking to avoid suffering their worst home league start to a calendar year since 1985.
The Red Devils were beaten 1-0 by Wolverhampton Wanderers in their opening home game of 2022 on January 3, with Joao Moutinho getting the only goal of that contest.
Man United's two subsequent league games have both been away from home - a dramatic draw with Aston Villa and a midweek win at Brentford - making West Ham their second Premier League visitors of the year.
Not since 1985 - 37 years ago - have Manchester United lost their first two home league games in a calendar year, with Ron Atkinson's side being beaten by Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry City on that occasion.
Ralf Rangnick's side have already been beaten at home by West Ham this season too, losing 1-0 in the EFL Cup, and victory for the Irons today would see them join an exclusive club.
In the history of English football, only three clubs have beaten Man United away from home twice in the same season - Aston Villa in 1919-20, Tottenham Hotspur in 1989-90 and Chelsea in 2004-05.
However, the 20-time champions are unbeaten in their last 13 home league games against West Ham stretching back to 2007, while they have won 20 of their 25 such meetings in the Premier League era.
The Hammers go into the game sitting above Man United in the table - only the fifth time that has happened in the Premier League - but the hosts would climb above David Moyes's side into the Champions League places with a victory.
Barney Corkhill
