Man United waste chance to reach EPL top five

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

Manchester United blew the chance to move up to fifth in the English Premier League (EPL) yesterday when West Ham salvaged a late 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Soungoutou Magassa’s 83rd-minute equaliser cancelled out Diogo Dalot’s opening goal that had put United on course to move level on points with fourth-place Chelsea.

Bruno Fernandes squandered two chances to score a winner in added time – blazing a shot wide from inside the box and then volleying another off target.

It was another setback for United, who have only won one of their last five games – drawing three.

Despite that run, Ruben Amorim’s team had the opportunity to move within reach of the Champions League places with a win. And that looked likely when in the 58th Casemiro’s long-range shot was controlled in the box by Dalot.

The United defender then spun and powered a shot past West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

It was a game of few chances, with West Ham rarely threatening to find an equaliser. But a late corner saw Jarrod Bowen’s flicked header cleared off the line by Noussair Mazraoui.

Magassa reacted quickest in the box and side-footed his shot low into the corner to spark celebrations from the visiting fans.

The result leaves United in eighth and West Ham 18th.