West Ham 3-2 Manchester United: Winston Reid scores winner in thrilling Upton Park finale despite Anthony Martial's double
- Kick-off was delayed by 45 minutes until 8.30pm after the Manchester United team bus arrived late
- Wayne Rooney spoke about how their coach was 'smashed up' by supporters hurling missiles
- Diafra Sakho scored a deflected opener after 10 minutes as a sold-out Upton Park erupted
- Anthony Martial equalised for the visitors with a close-range finish after 51 minutes
- Martial scored again in the 72nd minute with a fine finish that put United 2-1 ahead
- Antonio made it 2-2 again in the 76th minute with a header that beat goalkeeper De Gea
- Winston Reid then scored a header in the 80th minute to make it 3-2 to West Ham
It was the grand old send-off the place deserved. A storming game, a storming finish and the very real prospect that West Ham will start the next chapter of their existence with bona fide European football to take to the Olympic Stadium in August.
Dimitri Payet whipped in the free-kick and Winston Reid’s header simply overpowered David de Gea. He got both hands to the ball, but it was not enough. It crossed the line as if by sheer will.
Believers will say it was something spiritual, something more; or something Moore. The reconstruction of the club’s greatest player turning out the lights at the end of Upton Park’s closing ceremony was not the only reminder of his presence on Tuesday night.
This header from Winston Reid saw West Ham win 3-2 in their last-ever game at Upton Park on Tuesday night
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea got a hand to the header but was unable to stop Reid from scoring the winner
This header from Reid was enough to see West Ham bid Upton Park farewell with a win over Manchester United
Reid runs away with his West Ham team-mates in celebration after scoring the winner against Manchester United
Upton Park erupted when Reid scored in the 80th minute to make it 3-2 to West Ham against Manchester United
Mark Noble pictured saluting the crowd at Upton Park following their 3-2 win against Manchester United
Fireworks were let off at Upton Park during their post-match celebrations as they bid their stadium farewell
A firework display was part of the celebrations as the club waved goodbye to Upton Park on Tuesday night
There is the Bobby Moore Stand, a huge image of him adorns one corner and, of course, in his day, West Ham’s record against Manchester United wasn’t half bad. They often used to give them a game. A game like Tuesday night’s in fact.
It swung one way, then another. West Ham dominated the first half, could have been three goals clear, then let it all slip back after half-time. Going into the final 20 minutes, Manchester United led 2-1 and had realised the ambition of all visiting teams here. They had silenced the crowd. No mean feat on a night like this, when Upton Park has never sounded so ready to raise its roof. This was no way to end 112 years at Upton Park
And then: the comeback. In the space of four minutes, West Ham equalised and then went ahead. Replica goals, too.
Both from balls played in by Payet, both from headers after Manchester United’s back line had lost their men. Marouane Fellaini is a huge miss for this team, his physical presence repelling so much danger.
And if the win ensured West Ham left this corner of east London with honour and pride intact, it would have gone down equally well in east Manchester, too. Manchester City, resident in the regenerated east of their city, will now approach Sunday’s final round of fixtures with the hope they may hold off Manchester United for the vital fourth place.
MATCH FACTS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
West Ham United (4-3-2-1): Randolph 5; Antonio 7.5, Reid 8.5, Ogbonna 6.5 , Cresswell 6.5; Lanzini 7 (Obiang 84min, 6), Kouyate 7, Noble 8; Payet 7.5 (Valencia 90), Sakho 7.5 (Tomkins 84, 6); Carroll 6.5.
Subs not used: Collins, Moses, Emenike, Spiegel.
Booked: Carroll.
Manager: Slaven Bilic 7.5.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 5.5; Valencia 6 (Januzaj 87, 6), Smalling 7.5, Blind 5.5, Rojo 6.5; Schneiderlin 5.5 (Carrick 46, 6.5) Ander Herrera 6 (Lindgard 83); Mata 7, Rooney 7.5, Martial 8; Rashford 7.
Subs not used: Jones, Depay, Romero, Borthwick-Jackson.
Booked: Martial, Valencia, Herrera.
Manager: Louis Van Gaal 7.
Referee: Mike Dean 7.
Man of the match: Winston Reid.
Attendance: 34,602
Ratings by Sami Mokbel
How the Premier League table now looks
Here's how Diafra Sakho scored West Ham;s opener. CLICK HERE for more like this from Sportsmail's brilliant Match Zone service
West Ham's players pictured emerging for kick-off at a sold-out Upton Park for the final time on Tuesday night
The players are welcomed by their fans as they walk on to the pitch at Upton Park prior to their Premier League match
Upton Park was sold out for the clash between West Ham and Manchester United in the Premier League on Tuesday night
West Ham looked to give their ground a good send-off on Tuesday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Upton Park
These fans won't be able to watch free football from their flat any more when West Ham move to their Olympic Stadium
A point at Swansea on Sunday, and there is nothing United can do about it. They will be condemned to the Europa League at best. In a season when English football could get five clubs in the Champions League that really may be too much to bear.
Suddenly, it is not missing out to interlopers Leicester or Tottenham that hurts, but to old enemies: Arsenal, Manchester City and, heaven forbid, Liverpool if they qualify through the Europa League. Will that be too much for Louis van Gaal, long term? Possibly.
It was Michail Antonio who brought West Ham back to level terms just when the game seemed to have slipped away from them. Most frustratingly, United really should have learned from this goal before conceding a third. All the clues were there: Payet recycling the ball and returning it to the danger area, United exposed, Antonio eluding his marker to head past De Gea.
To be fair, from West Ham’s perspective, victory should not have been so difficult. They could have had this done by half-time and devoted the last 45 minutes to starting the party.
Diafra Sakho pictured scoring in the 10th minute for West Ham via a deflection off Daley Blind as it beat goalkeeper De Gea
This shot beat Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea as West Ham took an early lead in the Premier League match
Sakho runs towards the camera after scoring for West Ham against Manchester United on an emotional night at Upton Park
West Ham's Sakho celebrates his goal on an emotional night that saw West Ham win for one final time at Upton Park
West Ham's players pictured celebrating their goal against Manchester United which came after only 10 minutes on Tuesday night
West Ham's players celebrate their opener against Manchester United with the bubbles let off at Upton Park
Maybe Manchester United were more rattled by events outside the Boleyn Tavern than the pictures on board the team bus indicated.
These showed players making light of the mayhem in the streets as their coach arrived at the ground. At one stage it looked as if the much planned post-match celebration would have to be cancelled. What an embarrassment for the club that would have been. As it was, the 8.30 kick off would have played havoc with some of the fans’ journey’s home. At least when the game started it showed Upton Park at its best.
Slaven Bilic’s West Ham at their best, too. Twice during Sir Alex Ferguson’s time, Manchester United were denied the title here, and this was another massive slap for the visitors. It was pretty much all West Ham in the first half, from the 10th minute when they took the lead, in front of what regulars will remember as the old South Bank. The move was started by a quite magnificent pass by Aaron Cresswell, who picked out Manuel Lanzini on the left.
He crossed and Diafra Sakho turned almost lazily and shot past De Gea. It seemed to happen in slow motion.
As did Manchester United’s first half, which could have handed West Ham victory in little more than half an hour. After 20 minutes they simply fell apart defensively. Chris Smalling caught in the wrong half, Daley Blind playing West Ham on, and Andy Carroll suddenly with half the pitch to himself, running through, one on one. Problem. He didn’t look confident from that moment.
Manchester United got back into the game early in the second half as Anthony Martial scored this tap-in for the visitors
Martial scored this equaliser from close range as Manchester United got back into the game on Tuesday night
A bottle was thrown at Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea after he celebrated their equaliser at Upton Park
The bottle misses De Gea as the Manchester United goalkeeper celebrates after Martial scored to make it 1-1
Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea throws the bottle back towards the touchline at Upton Park on Tuesday night
Martial celebrates with Manchester United team-mate Juan Mata after scoring his side's equaliser early in the second half
His champions claim Carroll is so much more than a battering ram centre-forward but he isn’t and this showed it. It was like watching a centre-half getting a nose bleed placed in the same position. There was no finesse, no imagination, he ran forward and hit the ball straight, directly at De Gea. Carroll for England? Imagine if that was the chance, the one chance, against France.
The locals were no doubt cursing that the opportunity did not fall to a deadlier finisher, such as Payet. That little fantasy exploded 12 minutes later. Anthony Martial made a mistake and was caught in possession by Mark Noble. He put Payet through and Upton Park waited for the inevitable second. And waited. Payet, missing his usual composure, sliced his shot well wide of the far post.
West Ham have rued missed chances against Manchester United once already this season and many feared a repeat. So it proved, just five minutes into the second half. United had been growing stronger throughout the game, without greatly threatening, but their equaliser was simplicity in the extreme. De Gea’s long clearance made its way to Marcus Rashford, who picked out Juan Mata, the Spaniard skinning Angelo Ogbonna on the right. A low cross and there was Martial to finish at the far post.
Martial somehow scored from this tight angle as the Manchester United striker put his side 2-1 ahead
Martial runs away in celebration after scoring his and Manchester United's second goal of the night at Upton Park
The goal that gave United a 2-1 lead was equally well executed. It came from fine midfield work by Wayne Rooney — booed throughout, inexplicably as ever — who picked out Rashford, the young man finding Martial again, skipping past Reid to finish from an acute angle.
This has been a very impressive first season.
The crowd were subdued. West Ham’s players, indeed their season, looked done. But from somewhere they found the energy for revival. By the end, the songs, the cheers had never sounded louder. You could hear them from parts of Manchester.
And vice versa from the blue half of that city, no doubt.
Michail Antonio's fine header found the top corner and saw West Ham get back into the game against Manchester United
Antonio scored with a fine finish from this header to make it 2-2 between West Ham and Manchester United at Upton Park
Antonio runs away in celebration after beating Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea with a fine header to make it 2-2
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic and Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal pictured on the touchline before kick-off
Manchester United's team bus suffered damage on the side as the away side's coach was targeted by fans outside Upton Park
The bus carrying the Manchester United team was escorted by police but was still 'smashed up' by supporters outside Upton Park
Manchester United's team coach was hit by missiles as the kick-off was delayed until 8.30pm at Upton Park
Police were needed outside Upton Park ahead of kick-off as West Ham prepared to play their last game at this ground
These fans run away after smoke bombs were set off prior to kick-off in West Ham's final game at Upton Park
