Never Write United Off

West Ham 2 - Manchester United 4
Scorer
West Ham: Noble (pen 11, pen 25)
Manchester United: Rooney (65, 73, pen 79), Hernandez (84)


Team: Kuszczak, Vidic, Smalling, Fabio, Evra (Hernandez 46), Carrick, Gibson, Park (Berbatov 64), Giggs, Valencia, Rooney (Nani 88)

We almost threw this game away. In fact at half time, both Kentona and I had conceded that we had allowed Arsenal back into the hunt. Our defending was diabolical, giving away two penalties to West Ham by the half.

Evra was the culprit for the first when he handled Charlton Cole's flick and Noble gave the Hammers an early lead. It was piss poor defending, allowing Cole to run thru.

15 minutes later, we found ourselves two down, when Vidic fouled Cole in the box. Once again Noble found himself at the spot and although Kuszczak dived the right way this time, the shot was too powerful.

Our response, although spirited, never really threatened Robert Green's goal. We were in fact lucky to enter the break with the full compliment of players. Just before the break, Vidic fouled Demba Ba on route to goal and as the last defender, should have been sent off. Instead he only got a yellow, avoiding the second league game in a row which we would have played with 10 men.

Hernandez was introduced in the second half in place of a poor Evra, and almost found himself on the scoresheet but his first touch of the ball sent the ball high and wide with the goal at his mercy. The chance probably came too early but certainly signalled the intent.

Vidic must have been wearing his lucky horseshoe when he once again fouled Ba and referee Lee Mason took a very very lenient view. On any other day, it would have been a second yellow and a suspension for our talismanic defender.

We continued to press hard and West Ham was resolute and frankly, we really never looked like scoring. That was until Rooney finally got his act together after a poor afternoon so far.

We were awarded a freekick and Rooney curled it beautifully beyond the outstretched arms of Green. It was a superb freekick worthy to win any game, but in this instance, we were glad for a fighting chance.

It didn't take long before Rooney produced a second piece of magic with Valencia's pass he received at the edge of the box. His first touch took the ball beyond the West Ham defense and with his second, smacked the  ball across the goal and into the net. Vintage Rooney.

The comeback was complete in the 79th minute when Berbatov wiggled his way in , out and around West Ham's defense before Upson finally handled the ball. Mason pointed to the spot and Rooney took up the challenge for his hattrick and an unlikely comeback.

Hernandez piled on West Ham's misery with a typical poacher's goal when he reacted quickest to Gigg's deflected pass.

It's a fabulous result and a tremendous comeback. It was particularly pleasing to see us play with 3 upfront and gratifying to see them play unselfishly, looking for the extra pass to take a better shot.

Even Carrick and Gibson had pretty good games. And Smalling was probably my man of the match, breaking up whatever West Ham threw at us. This was a team and championship performance.