Manchester United vs West Ham United
Manchester United and West Ham United are set to meet in the 2025 Premier League Summer Series on Saturday night at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Club Friendly: Manchester United vs West Ham United is the first bout in a four way contest, with Everton and Bournemouth making up the quartet. This is not the sort of company Red Devils fans are used to keeping, those out of their teenage years that is. Until recently Manchester United’s peers were the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal… but last season was somewhat different.
Bournemouth were the highest finishers of this foursome in the 2024/25 Premier League at ninth, while Everton, West Ham United and Manchester United ended up 13th 14th and 15th. That the Red Devils were the lowest ranked of these four teams shows just how big a job Ruben Amorin has in his first full campaign as Manchester United boss and you can say the same for Graham Potter at West Ham. The former Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea manager arrived in January following the departure of Julen Lopetegui, but he failed to lift the Hammers above the 14th place they were in when he arrived.
The next six months are absolutely crucial to both managers; Amorin is under pressure to make a fast start and pick up some positive Premier League results from the off, while Potter is expected by his club’s owners and fans to bring attractive and successful football to the London Stadium… but I fear the Hammers may struggle.
Both need to get it right during pre-season and they have three more weeks to do just that. The Red Devils have had one outing, drawing 0-0 with Leeds United, while West Ham beat Swiss team, Grasshoppers, 3-1.
A first outing for Mbeumo?
Manchester United fans are understandable nervous after a dreadful campaign last term, which started badly and just seemed to stumble from one disappointment to the next, culminating in a Europa Final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. But, despite the Premier League 2025 betting odds saying United will find it very difficult to break into the top four, now is the time for the loyal Red Devils to look forward; and there is some cause for guarded optimism, following the arrival of forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
Manchester United’s goal output was pitiful last term as skipper Bruno Fernandes jointly top scored with winger Amad Diallo on eight league goals, while strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee had four and three respectively. Meanwhile Mbeumo scored 20 goals for Brentford while Cunha bagged 15 for Wolverhampton Wanderers and, if they can get 35 between them next term, the Red Devils should certainly be a top six contender, and the SBOTOP odds say that is well within Amorin’s reach.
Cunha made his debut in the goalless draw with Leeds and I expect Mbemo to appear in the USA.
Challenging for the Premier League title is currently a pipe dream at Old Trafford; Liverpool will be hard to beat, Manchester City and Chelsea will be very strong and Arsenal have recruited well and have greater depth in their squad. The Old Trafford faithful want to be in that company…but for now they’ll settle for West Ham.
Hammers need more firepower
While Manchester United have been tooling up in the goal scoring department, West Ham find themselves a little short of goal scorers and, if they are to challenge in the Premier League next term they need a 15 goal man at least. For too long the Hammers have relied on the goals of captain and winger Jarrod Bowen and, following the departure of Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham and the release of Danny Ings, they are left with just one senior striker in their group to face the Red Devils, and that is 32 year old Germany international Niclas Fullkrug who spent much of last season injured. 20 year old Academy prospect Callum Marshall scored against Grasshoppers and he has travelled to the States. He scored nine goals on loan with Huddersfield Town in League One last term and, while he has plenty of promise, Marshall is not yet the answer Potter needs.
Elsewhere in the squad, midfield ace Edson Alvarez will join his team-mates after helping Mexico win the CONCACAF Gold Cup. And two new wingbacks could be on show against the Red Devils. Senegalese star El Hadj Diouf looked lively in his first appearance, against the Grasshoppers, while Kyle Walker Peters could make his Hammers debut after completing his move from Southampton.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
