Match Report
West Ham vs Man U

Twice table-topping Manchester United found themselves behind to a workmanlike West Ham in this eight-goal thriller, but eventually the exhausted, empty-handed Eastenders were mercilessly ground down by a tireless United side that just does not know how to surrender.

"We had to work very hard for our three goals but we contributed to our own downfall by also conceding five sloppy ones," said a disappointed Glenn Roeder after seeing two-goal David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer destroy the Hammers' hopes of pulling off their first league double over United for 25 years.

"You get away with some mistakes against other teams but Manchester United are a special team who are capable of anything."

Ironically, West Ham's stunning 1-0 victory at Old Trafford back in December proved the catalyst for the United revival that has seen them roar back as Premiership favourites.

Jermain Defoe who headed the Hammers' winner that day, was on the bench this time as Roeder made two changes from the side that had beaten Everton. An unwell Trevor Sinclair and Ian Pearce were replaced by the fit-again Steve Lomas and Michael Carrick.

Having booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals in midweek, United made two switches from the side which shared that goalless draw with Bayern Munich as Butt and Scholes returned in place of Ryan Giggs and Juan Sebastian Veron.

Liverpool's high-noon win at Middlesbrough had sent the Merseysiders vaulting over United into top spot and after just seven minutes there was even worse news for Sir Alex Ferguson's side when Lomas out-jumped Mikael Silvestre to meet Vladimir Labant's finely flighted centre with a header that crashed in off Fabien Barthez's right-hand angle.

It could have got yet more critical as Paolo Di Canio and Labant sent cracking 20-yarders inches wide of the target. But just when West Ham thought they were forcing the play Joe Cole's sloppy pass to Scholes on the quarter-hour mark saw the recalled midfielder pick out his skipper with a defence-splitting pass which Beckham chipped over the stranded David James from the edge of the area.

The Hammers showed their mettle with a quick-fire response that saw Sebastien Schemmel charge down the right before sending in a low cross to Frederic Kanoute who made the French connection as he side-footed a low 18-yarder beyond his sprawling countryman Barthez to snatch his tenth goal of the season.

But if the Hammers' reply had been swift, United's riposte was even quicker for after 21 minutes Beckham's in-swinging free-kick into a congested six-yard box was met by Butt who gave James no chance with his close-range header.

Just when it looked like this breathtaking roller-coaster could not keep thundering along at such pace, Tomas Repka nodded just wide at the far post while only James' fine save stopped Roy Keane from giving United a half-time lead.

Nine minutes into the second half however the Hammers keeper was powerless to prevent Scholes from finally rifling United into the lead from just eight yards after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wriggled between Nigel Winterburn and Repka on the by-line.

After 63 minutes, the Norwegian goal-maker turned goal-taker when the Hammers failed to clear man of the match Beckham's low cross and Solskjaer claimed his 18th strike of the season with a tightly angled shot after Ruud van Nistelrooy's effort deflected into his path.

But as United looked to go on to even greater things, the fresh legs of substitute Defoe gave the Hammers a slim chance of a revival when he got in front of the veteran Laurent Blanc to sweep home Kanoute's thoughtful low cross into the six-yard box.

That set up a frenetic finale which not surprisingly was destined to yield yet another goal, but alas there was to be no fairytale finish for West Ham who saw all hope disappear with Repka's crude chop on Scholes which enabled Beckham to put the result beyond doubt with a thunderous late penalty.

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