Marcus Rashford enthralls Old Trafford with stoppage-time winner against West Ham

Manchester United climb to fourth in the Premier League table on Saturday

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates with Raphael Varane and Scott McTominay after scoring the winner against West Ham at Old Trafford on Saturday, January 22, 2022. Reuters

Manchester United's manager Ralf Rangnick celebrates after Marcus Rashford scored the winner against West Ham at Old Trafford. AP

Marcus Rashford score against West Ham at Old Trafford. Getty

Marcus Rashford embraces David De Gea after the win at Old Trafford on Saturday. Getty

David De Gea celebrates victory over West Ham. Getty

West Ham United's Craig Dawson challenges Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters

Manchester United's midfielder Bruno Fernandes controls the ball as West Ham United's midfielder Manuel Lanzini closes in. AFP

Marcus Rashford scored in the third and final minute of stoppage time to earn Manchester United a dramatic 1-0 win over West Ham that lifted the team into fourth place at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United looked insipid as an attacking force for 93 minutes, but found the breakthrough at the death as all three of Ralf Rangnick's substitutes combined when Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani teed up Rashford for a tap in at the back post.

Victory lifted United a point above the Hammers and sees the Red Devils leapfrog Tottenham and Arsenal in the battle for Champions League football next season.

Rangnick has lost just one of his 10 games since taking temporary charge till the end of the season, but once again the result was more impressive than the performance from the German's side.

Rashford, on as a second-half substitute, tapped in a cross from fellow replacement Cavani in one of the few clear-cut chances created in a lackluster match.

It completed a commendable week for United who also won 3-1 at Brentford on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who overcame a neck problem to start, was kept on for the full match this time but didn’t come close to scoring.

The Portugal forward was disgusted at being substituted midway through the second half of the game at Brentford and made his feelings clear to manager Rangnick.

"It is obviously an important goal and such late on is an amazing feeling," said Rashford.

"We have to use that winning feeling. We could have been a bit better on the ball but managed to get the goal we needed and can use that as motivation now," he added.

Meanwhile, Brentford's clash with Wolves on Saturday was delayed for 20 minutes during the first half after a drone flew above the stadium.

The drone appeared above Brentford's Community Stadium in west London with 31 minutes played and the score tied at 0-0.

Referee Peter Bankes and fourth official Martin Atkinson ordered the players off the field in accordance with Premier League rules, with the stadium announcer confirming play had been stopped due to an "unofficial drone". Thereafter, Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves scored a late goal to seal a 2-1 win.

Also, Newcastle claimed just their second Premier League win of the season by beating Leeds 1-0 in a big boost to their ambitions of avoiding relegation.

Jonjo Shelvey’s low free kick flew past a slew of outstretched legs in the area and squeezed into the far corner of the net in the 75th minute at Elland Road.

The victory wasn’t enough to lift Newcastle out of the relegation zone but the Saudi-owned team are only one point from safety with a game in hand on fourth-to-last Norwich, who won at Watford on Friday.