Daily WHUFC News - 1st December 2016

Bilic – We made the same mistake twice
WHUFC.com

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic was disappointed after a quarter-final EFL Cup
exit against Manchester United
His side conceded two early goals at the start of each half, contributing to
a 4-1 defeat
Ashley Fletcher did score a first half equaliser – his first goal for the
Club

Slaven Bilic was left frustrated after his Hammers side conceded early goals
in both the first and second half in a 4-1 EFL Cup quarter-final defeat to
Manchester United on Wednesday. Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring two
minutes into the tie at Old Trafford before Ashley Fletcher equalised,
grabbing his first for the Club with ten minutes left in the half. But it
was the same story in the second period as Anthony Martial converted from
close range on 48 minutes and this time the visitors had no reply. Instead,
Martial and Ibrahimovic both added to their tallies on the night to secure
the Red Devils' place in the semi-finals. After Sunday's gritty performance
at the same venue which saw the east Londoners pick up a crucial Premier
League point, Bilic was this time left disappointed. He said: "We can't have
a slow start against them because they are very good when they are one up.
They have those kind of players. "After the slow start, we recovered and
looked good but you can't do the same. And we did. They totally deserved it
then after that. You just can't have that kind of a start in a game like
this. "They are really good on the counter attacks and all that but that
happened to us in the first half and then we recovered and started to play
after 25 minutes. They played with more energy and quality and a bit more
passion."

Wing-backs Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell were both replaced due to
injury and the boss provided an update on the pair. "Cresswell's injury
doesn't look that bad. His groin felt very tight and hopefully it's just
fatigue from Sunday. With Antonio, hopefully it's the same but we don't know
yet. "We have a tough game on Saturday and we have a couple of players who
came off injured, but we wanted to preserve players for then and Dimitri
Payet also. "It is unbelievable that when we get a couple of injuries like
the ones we got today [after them all this season] and it's very tough for
us now."

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Fletcher first can't prevent Cup exit
WHUFC.com

EFL CupA first goal for Ashley Fletcher in claret and blue could not prevent
West Ham United's exit from the EFL Cup at the quarter-final stage on
Wednesday night against Manchester United.

The Hammers made the trip to Old Trafford for the second time in four days
having secured a 1-1 Premier League draw at the home of the 20-time English
champions on Sunday, but this time Slaven Bilic's side could not pick up a
result.

After Zlatan Ibrahimovic's early strike, Fletcher bagged a fairytale
leveller against the club he left for east London in the summer, but Anthony
Martial's second half double and Ibrahimovic's second meant West Ham would
not progress to the semi-final stage for the first time in three years.

In contrasting fashion to Sunday, it was this time the Red Devils who struck
in the second minute as Ibrahimovic grabbed his second of the week against
the Hammers.

Collecting a fabulous Henrikh Mkhitaryan backheel, the Swede coolly
converted past the onrushing Adrian to give the hosts the lead.

And it was nearly two just five minutes later, though this time the Spaniard
in goal was alert to the danger as he saved first from the goalscorer from
point blank range before denying Martial a tap in.

Adrian – who was returning to the starting XI for the Cup competition – once
again showed why is one of the two goalkeepers held in high esteem in east
London, superbly tipping Wayne Rooney's free-kick round the post.

But after the early pressure from Jose Mourinho's men, West Ham began to
find their feet and show composure and creativity on the ball.

It took until the 35th minute for the Hammers to have their first attempt on
goal, but when it came, it was a meaningful one. Dimitri Payet, cutting in
from the left, struck fiercely at David De Gea who could only spill the
shot.

Up popped Fletcher – promoted to the starting lineup for the clash – to grab
the equaliser against the club he left during the summer to team up with
Slaven Bilic's men.

But, like the first period, West Ham were undone quickly by the Red Devils.
A throw for the visitors soon led to a second for the hosts, as Antonio
Valencia's clever flick found Mkhitaryan who put the ball on a plate for
Martial to make it 2-1.

Adrian's quality was tested again eleven minutes into the second 45, as
Martial looked for a second, but the stopper could not prevent the Frenchman
moments after the hour mark as he tapped home a Valencia centre.

In search of a way back into the tie, the Hammers made changes and
introduced both Manuel Lanzini and Simone Zaza, though despite a period of
probing and pressure from the visitors in the second period, no success came
their way.

Zaza came closest to halving the deficit with seven minutes remaining on the
clock after he flicked a Lanzini corner wide and Sofiane Feghouli twice
missed the target in stoppage time, but the Red Devils added a fourth in
stoppage time as Ibrahimovic tapped in Herrera's cross to make it 4-1 and
secure their place in the semi-finals.

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw (Blind 46), Carrick,
Herrera, Mkhitaryan (Rashford 90), Rooney, Martial (Schweinsteiger 86),
Ibrahimovic.

Subs not used: Romero, Mata, Lingard, Schneiderlin.

Goals: Ibrahimovic 2, 90+ 3, Martial 48, 62

Bookings: Rooney 53

West Ham United: Adrian, Kouyate, Reid, Ogbonna, Antonio (Lanzini 58),
Obiang, Fernandes, Cresswell (Masuaku 45), Feghouli, Payet (Zaza 75),
Fletcher.

Subs not used: Randolph, Nordtveit, Noble, Collins.

Goals: Fletcher 35

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Manchester United 4-1 West Ham United
By Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport

Manchester United eased into the EFL Cup semi-finals as they beat West Ham
with manager Jose Mourinho absent from the Old Trafford dugout. The
Portuguese, given a one-match touchline ban before the game, stayed out of
view as United set up a last-four tie against Hull City. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
clipped in the opening goal inside two minutes before former United
youngster Ashley Fletcher equalised as he pounced on David de Gea's error.
Anthony Martial re-established the home side's lead shortly after half-time,
drilling Henrikh Mkhitaryan's pass low into the bottom corner. The France
international stroked in Antonio Valencia's low cross after a well-worked
team move, with Ibrahimovic adding the gloss by tapping in with virtually
the last kick of the game. Mourinho will have been pleased with his side's
fluent attacking display, and even happy enough to bring on substitute
Bastian Schweinsteiger for his first game since March.
Mourinho claimed his first honour in English football when he led Chelsea to
the 2005 League Cup, following that up by lifting the iconic three-handled
trophy again in 2007 and 2015. And naming a strong line-up against the
Hammers indicated he is keen to become only the third manager to win the
competition on four occasions, following in the footsteps of United
predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson and legendary Nottingham Forest boss Brian
Clough. It is not certain, though, where Mourinho, 53, watched his side on
Wednesday night. "It is a secret," he said afterwards. He was seen arriving
at Old Trafford, then spotted waiting to shake Hammers boss Slaven Bilic's
hand before kick-off. Then he disappeared into the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.
In his absence, the home side played with a vigour and verve long missing
from Old Trafford performances in recent years. The attacking quartet of
Ibrahimovic, Martial, Wayne Rooney and Mkhitaryan were a handful throughout
and, although the Hammers goal was preventable, Mourinho was more than
content. "Goals plus performance means the real happiness," he said.
While Ibrahimovic and Martial put their names on the Red Devils scoresheet,
it was Rooney and - particularly - Mkhitaryan pulling all the strings. The
Red Devils skipper was restored to the starting XI as he threatens to break
Sir Bobby Charlton's 43-year standing as the club's all-time leading scorer.
Rooney, who needs one goal to draw level with Charlton's tally of 249
strikes, might not have scored against the Hammers, but impressed with his
all-round display. However, there was a downside. He picked up an avoidable
booking for arguing with referee Mike Jones, therefore ruling him out of
Sunday's trip to Everton - and potentially breaking Charlton's record at his
boyhood club. "Some of his passing and awareness tonight has been nothing
short of magnificent," said former Scotland striker Ally McCoist, who was
BBC Radio 5 live's expert analyst at Old Trafford.

Few positives for West Ham

It was during Sunday's Premier League draw between the two sides in which
Mourinho was sent to the stands by referee Jon Moss after kicking a water
bottle in frustration. The Hammers failed to replicate that disciplined
performance at the weekend as they unravelled in the second half on
Wednesday. Bilic will have been pleased with battling qualities shown by his
side in the first half, riding out an early storm to level with their first
shot. The Croatian manager will not have been pleased to see them carved
open so easily after the break, however. Nor will he have been happy to see
left-back Ryan Cresswell substituted to add to his injury woes.

Man of the match - Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has struggled to force his way into Jose Mourinho's side
since his £26m summer move from Borussia Dortmund, but showed he is
beginning to match the expectations placed on him. The Armenia captain set
up Zlatan Ibrahimovic's opener with a cheeky backheel for his first assist
in a Red Devils shirt, then he also teed up Martial's first goal. "We know
the reason we bought him and waited for his evolution, I'm happy," said
Mourinho

What's next?

Back to the Premier League. Sixth-placed United go to Everton, who are a
place and a point behind them, on Sunday (16:00 GMT).

The Hammers are a point above the relegation zone in 16th place and host
Arsenal at the London Stadium on Saturday (17:30).

Key stats - Martial hammers West Ham again...

Manchester United have lost only one of their past 25 home League Cup games
against fellow top-flight sides, winning 23 and drawing one, since losing
2-1 against Chelsea in January 2005
West Ham have won just two of their past 12 away games against top-flight
opposition in the League Cup, losing 10
Anthony Martial has scored more goals against West Ham for Manchester United
than any other opponent (five)
Former Manchester United player Ashley Fletcher scored his first goal for
West Ham United in his 11th appearance
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 11 goals in all competitions for Manchester
United - more than twice as many as any other Red Devils player this season
Ibrahimovic has netted five goals in his past four appearances, after a run
of six games without one

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