Manchester United v West Ham player ratings: Mason Greenwood and Harry Maguire star; nightmare for Craig Dawson

United kick off 'massive' week with important victory

MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: Dean Henderson 7 - First home league start but came out to clear an awkward 18th minute cross in a crowded area. Got away with it. Had little to do against the fifth placed team who defended and didn’t have a single attempt on or off target – and then United scored and the game changed. EPA

Aaron Wan-Bissaka 6 - Booked, but solid as United made it consecutive league wins. No player has made more tackles in the league than him all season, no player had more touches against West Ham than the Londoner. AP

Harry Maguire 8 - Important block after 79 minutes as his side controlled the match and, unlike against Everton at home, managed to successfully see it out. Decent game against a side with players who can hurt their opponents. City were the same – and the team captained by Maguire kept a clean sheet in both. Getty

Victor Lindelof 7 - Tough challenge v Antonio but held up well. Adapted as West Ham shifted from five defenders to four when they went behind. PA

Luke Shaw 8 - In-form and again one of the best two United players as he always showed attacking intent and made two key passes, though caught sleeping by Jarrod Bowen on a rare West Ham attack. PA

Fred 6 - Often the man starting the build up with eight Hammers players in front of him, which wasn’t easy. He was little threat going forward but his energy stayed high and United are now nine points clear of West Ham in fifth. Getty

Scott McTominay 7 - Got stuck in, got booked and his header was deflected for United’s only goal. As he pointed out after, it was a third tough game in a week – and West Ham set up well with good players who sat in and did their job. AP

Daniel James 6 - Struggled to find a way through West Ham’s defence and, like in previous matches, had more impact as the game wore on as he had more energy to drive forward and cross/shoot. Playing more football than at any time this season and filling in for injured players, but still needs to do more. Booked. Getty

Bruno Fernandes 7 - Set up Greenwood in the first and searched for space against the ultra-defensive Hammers. Never stopped running and forced Fabianski into another save after 59 minutes. Went down with Fabianksi after a challenge but more shots on target than any player on the pitch. AP

Marcus Rashford 6 - Back from injury but not fully fit. Poor headed miss from a 24th minute Greenwood cross as United failed to convert chances. Booked after 76. Stayed on pitch as United didn’t make a single substitution for the first time in a league game since 2012. AP

Mason Greenwood 8 - Super cross to Rashford on 24 minutes, got past Declan Rice to cross after 30. Finished the best move of the first half after 37 with a shot – which was tipped on to the post by Fabianski. Put another ball across for Rashford on 53. Went alone and hit the post after 77. Reuters

WEST HAM RATINGS: Lukasz Fabianski, 8 – Did well to get a hand to Mason Greenwood’s fizzed cross which deflected back off Craig Dawson and into the goalkeeper’s arms. He was at full stretch again shortly after to turn a low strike from the same man onto the outside of the post. Helpless as Dawson put the ball into his own goal, but he bounced back to thwart Fernandes with another fine stop. AFP

Issa Diop, 5 – Defender has produced an array of calm displays, but he was easily beaten in the air by Marcus Rashford who somehow glanced his header wide. Carelessly gave United the chance to kill the game on the counter when his loose touch left his side in a four on two situation at the back, but the move came to nothing. Reuters

Craig Dawson, 4 - What a difference a week makes. The 30-year-old has been at the heart of the club’s rise this term and was in the right place to clear a dangerous Shaw cross in the first half, but he almost put Coufal in trouble after the break and he headed the resulting corner into his own net. Getty

Aaron Cresswell, 7 - Left-back lauded his opposite number, Luke Shaw, prior to kick-off, although his own form could well be enough to win him a regular place in Gareth Southgate’s England XI. Caused problems on a couple of occasions with delightful crosses. AP

Declan Rice, 5 - Left wincing by a Scott McTominay challenge after five minutes and his night was summed up when his overhit cross drifted out of play in the closing stages as his side pushed for an equaliser. AP

Vladimir Coufal, 6 - A quiet first half from the Czech who saw his cross strike his own teammate and bounce behind for a goal kick. Almost stabbed the ball into his own goal when Dawson let it run without warning. AP

Mark Noble, 5 – 50 Premier League two meetings between the two sides now and it feels like the Hammers stalwart has been around for all of them. This wasn’t his most memorable contribution in the claret and blue though, and he was withdrawn in the second-half. Reuters

Tomas Soucek, 6 - A big presence in both boxes and he produced an important defensive cover early on, halting the advancing Luke Shaw at the expense of a corner. Denied a penalty after a coming together with Harry Maguire. AP

Ben Johnson, 4 - A breakthrough season for the 21-year-old who has now passed 15 appearances. Proved ineffective and was withdrawn in the 62nd minute. In fairness, was asked to play out of position. Reuters

Jarrod Bowen, 6 - Took a bit of a hammering from Henderson as the United goalkeeper attacked a cross. Found service extremely limited as the visitors opted for a reserved approach, although he was more effective once David Moyes had decided to shake things up. AP

Michail Antonio, 6 – Another battling performance from Antonio who never stops hustling and harrying and provided a couple of driving runs into the box. Far from at his most dangerous, but can’t fault his work ethic. Reuters

SUBS: Manuel Lanzini, 7 - Looked like he was about to rescue his side again when he pulled the ball back for Thomas Soucek, only for Maguire to hurl himself in front of the Czech man’s effort, while he later scooped an improvised effort comfortably over the bar. AP

Said Benrahma, 6 - The visitors carried significantly more threat following the introduction of his dazzling feet from the bench He couldn’t force the breakthrough though, with Maguire again on hand to repel his whipped delivery. AP

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was pleased to kick off a "massive" week by securing an important Premier League win against high-flying West Ham.

Having triumphed at runaway leaders Manchester City in their last top-flight outing, an own goal by Craig Dawson settled Sunday's Old Trafford encounter between the Champions League qualification hopefuls.

The 1-0 victory was an important boost at the start of a key week for United, who head to Italy on Thursday for the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash with AC Milan before travelling to Leicester for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final.

The result also means United will return to Premier League action in April second in the standings, with Solskjaer impressed by his side's response to the late setback against Milan.

"It's been a big week for us," Solskjaer said, reflecting on the 2-0 win at City and 1-1 draw with the Rossoneri before overcoming West Ham.

"The last few league games, big games near the top of the league and we're starting to build some momentum in the league. Of course now we opened the gap further to West Ham, which was important for us.

"We want to improve on last season. We want to get to a final, we want to move up the table."

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