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As it happenedended

Manchester United vs West Ham: Paul Pogba penalties edge Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side past Hammers

Relive all the action from Old Trafford

Harry Latham-Coyle
Saturday 13 April 2019 12:49 EDT
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Camp Nou win would be greater than comeback against PSG

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Paul Pogba's brace bailed out Manchester United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side stuttered to a fortuitous 2-1 win against West Ham.

Tuesday's huge Champions League quarter-final challenge in Barcelona looms large, but attention first turned to securing a return to European football's top table next season.

United moved within two points of the top four as a pair of Pogba penalties sealed victory at Old Trafford, but those in attendance will know how fortunate Solskjaer's side were to have secured a point, never mind three.

Relive all the action from Old Trafford.

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28 minutes

Romelu Lukaku seems to be able to turn West Ham defenders at will. He's done it throughout his career, Fabian Balbuena the latest victim as Lukaku beats him too easily with his power.

Lukaku's cross finds Diogo Dalot, who tries to cut inside and shoot but is crowded out.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:00

30 minutes

Paul Pogba and Mark Noble duel on halfway, Noble raising his arms in frustrations as he kneels after Pogba overpowers him.

Graham Scott tells him to get up.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:02

31 minutes

Mark Noble has Manuel Lanzini free in the box as he collects the ball down the right, but overhits his clipped cross. 

It's really open, this game. Both teams are struggling to organise at the back.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:02

33 minutes

West Ham win another corner, but this time Phil Jones meets it meatily and Juan Mata pushes out well to block a follow-up attempt.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:04

34 minutes

That's not such a good challenge from Juan Mata, sliding in on Mark Noble rather late with the West Ham man going absolutely nowhere towards the technical areas on the edge of the Old Trafford pitch.

Graham Scott goes to his pocket.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:05

36 minutes

Juan Mata skips past Manuel Lanzini with a lovely three-touch trick, fast feet foxing the Argentine and leaving him clawing at thin air as Mata moves beyond him.

Arthur Masuaku stands off Mata, allowing him to cross, but though Anthony Martial just about keeps it in, the angle is too tight to force a shot and a backheeled cross attempt is speculative at best. 

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:08

37 minutes

Romelu Lukaku touches off to Jesse Lingard, who goes down under the challenge of Angelo Ogbonna. Graham Scott waves away the Manchester United appeals, and the Italian centre-half is not happy, seemingly thinking Lingard has dived.

The pair square up, a finger in the face from Ogbonna briefly threatening to escalate the situation before Lukaku plays peacemaker, hauling his teammate away from the kerfuffle before he gets himself in trouble.

Scott pulls them both in for a chat and a handshake. 

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:10

40 minutes

Manuel Lanzini has yet to find his footing since returning from a serious injury that robbed him of most of the season, and he loosely gives the ball away, making little effort to get back and atone as Romelu Lukaku is fed in behind. Angelo Ogbonna blocks behind.

And Chris Smalling meets the resulting corner well, allowed to run free and disappointed not to hit the target, getting underneath the ball as he heads over the crossbar.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:12

42 minutes

West Ham force their own trouble from a set-piece, Fabian Balbuena winning the aerial contest and Marcos Rojo making a hash of his clearance, conceding a corner.

This one is more comfortably dealt with but still not fully cleared, and the ball is worked to Felipe Anderson, who shoots under pressure from Chris Smalling and slices high and wide.

The Brazilian hasn't scored in the Premier League in 2019, and it was a finish of a man who has lost his goalscoring touch.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:14

44 minutes

West Ham have had 56% of the possession in the first half and they have probably been the better team on balance.

David De Gea uses his feet expertly to cut out a Felipe Anderson driven cross.

Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2019 18:15

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