| Manchester United vs West Ham | |
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MATCH INFO |
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MATCH :
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Manchester United vs West Ham
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COMPETITION :
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Premier League
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| DATE: |
05-12-2025
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TIME:
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01.30 AM IST
12.00 AM UAE
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STADIUM
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Old Trafford
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After missing Manchester United’s last two fixtures due to a head injury sustained in a training-ground incident, Matheus Cunha has returned to training and is on track to be available for Thursday night’s clash.
Even so, the Brazilian may have to settle for a spot on the bench, with Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee unlikely to lose their starting roles following confidence-boosting goals at Selhurst Park. Cunha’s expected return leaves Benjamin Šeško (knee) and Harry Maguire (thigh) as United’s only confirmed absentees, with Lisandro Martínez making his long-awaited comeback from a knee injury as a late substitute on Sunday.
For the visitors, Cunha’s compatriot Lucas Paquetá will miss the encounter through suspension, having been punished for a referee-related outburst last weekend—his second ban of the season following a yellow-card accumulation. As a result, Nuno Espírito Santo has several potential solutions. He could shift Mateus Fernandes into a central role and introduce Luís Guilherme on the wing—though Crysencio Summerville remains a major doubt due to a knock—or deploy a more defensive midfield trio of Tomáš Souček, Freddie Potts and Soungoutou Magassa.
Aside from Paquetá, West Ham have only two other fitness concerns heading into Thursday: Łukasz Fabiański (back) and Oliver Scarles (shoulder). Star forward Jarrod Bowen will meanwhile look to become the first Hammers player to score in three consecutive Premier League matches against Manchester United since Jermain Defoe between 2001 and 2002.