West Ham United vs Manchester United: Preview and Prediction

Manchester United will be eager to continue the flawless start under Michael Carrick when they take on West Ham United at the London Stadium on Tuesday.

The 2025/26 Premier League season resumes this week with Gameweek 26, with the latest round of fixtures starting only 48 hours after the previous matchday ended. The action on the day will start with three simultaneous games before continuing with West Ham United vs Manchester United at the London Stadium.

West Ham United’s recent resurgence continued this past weekend with a 2-0 win over Burnley. The result meant the Hammers have won four of their last five games in all competitions, with three victories in the Premier League helping them bridge the gap to 17th-place Nottingham Forest to only three points.

On the other hand, Manchester United’s flawless start under Michael Carrick continued this past weekend, as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have now clinched four successive victories, with their unbeaten run in the Premier League stretching to eight games, with their most recent defeat coming nearly two months ago.

The reverse fixture saw West Ham come from a goal down to hold Manchester United to a 1-1 draw, with Soungoutou Magassa scoring the equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

West Ham United

Nuno Espirito Santo has no new issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The West Ham United manager will be bereft of the services of only two first-team players vs Manchester United on Tuesday.

Jean-Clair Todibo is the most notable absentee, as he will serve a suspension after being sent off for violent conduct in the Premier League clash with Chelsea ten days ago. Meanwhile, Lukasz Fabianski remains in the treatment room.

Mads Hermansen will take his spot between the sticks, with West Ham United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Tuesday. The backline will feature Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Axel Disasi, and El Hadji Malick Diouf.

As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Tomas Soucek and Freddie Potts, with Mateus Fernandes reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Valentin Castellanos will lead the line for West Ham against Manchester United, with Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen being the two wide attackers.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf; Soucek, Potts; Bowen, Mateus Fernandes, Summerville; Castellanos

Manchester United

Like his counterpart in the West Ham United dugout, Michael Carrick has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to the London Stadium. The Manchester United head coach will be without three first-team players.

Matthijs de Ligt (lower back) and Mason Mount (muscular) are closing in on returning, but will be in the treatment room for two more weeks. Meanwhile, Patrick Dorgu is recovering from a thigh issue that will keep him on the sidelines until March.

Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs West Ham United on Tuesday. The backline will feature Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw.

As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in the double pivot. Bruno Fernandes will reprise the no. 10 role, with Matheus Cunha and Amad Diallo being the two wide attackers. Finally, Bryan Mbeumo, a top transfer recommendation in FPL heading into Gameweek 26, will lead the line for Manchester United against West Ham on Tuesday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Martinez, Maguire, Shaw; Mainoo, Casemiro; Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo

Key Stats

• West Ham United have won their three most recent home league games vs Manchester United, last having a longer run between 1974 and 1977 (4). The Red Devils have lost four of their last six Premier League games against West Ham (W1 D1), more than they had in their previous 28 (W19 D6 L3). Meanwhile, West Ham did the double over Manchester United last season, and drew 1-1 at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture this season. Only once have they avoided defeat in both league meetings with the Red Devils in consecutive campaigns, doing so in 1932/33 and 1933/34.
• West Ham United have won just four of their last 20 home Premier League games (D4 L12), and three of those victories were against promoted sides (Leicester City last term, Burnley and Sunderland this season). The Hammers have taken only six points from their last 16 home games against non-promoted sides (W1 D3 L12).
• Having lost two of their first three Premier League away matches this season, Manchester United have now lost just one of their last nine on the road (W4 D4). They have also won their two most recent league ties away against London clubs, last winning three successive games in the capital in the same season in January/February 2019.
• Jarrod Bowen has scored three goals in his last five Premier League games against Manchester United. No West Ham United player has scored more against the Red Devils in the competition than Bowen (3).
• Matheus Cunha has had a hand in four goals in his last five away Premier League outings for Manchester United (G3 A1). However, the Brazilian international has never scored in five Premier League games against West Ham, only facing Manchester City more without ever scoring (6).

Player to Watch

Bruno Fernandes

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While Matheus Cunha, Mateus Fernandes, and Jarrod Bowen were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as the Player to Watch for Tuesday’s Premier League clash between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium.

The Manchester United captain has been involved in ten goals in his last eight away Premier League outings (G2 A8). His eight assists on the road this season are the joint most by a United player in a season, along with Ryan Giggs in 2001/02. Expect the Portuguese international to be the go-to player for Michael Carrick again this week.

Prediction

West Ham United 1-3 Manchester United

West Ham United’s improved form means Manchester United cannot afford to get complacent and take the home team lightly. While the Red Devils are flying, their defensive frailties will keep them in check, as the hosts can capitalise on those issues.

Crysencio Summerville, in particular, will trouble the away side, with Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes also producing impressive performances. However, the Manchester United juggernaut will continue to roll on, with Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo delivering the goods. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Michael Carrick and his charges.