Manchester United 2-1 West Ham United: 5 Men who won the game for Solskjaer

#2 Phil Jones

Manchester United v West Ham United - Premier League

The Englishman was selected ahead of Lindelof, who was rested probably with Barcelona in mind. However, Jones was one of United’s best player on the field and will give Solskjaer some selection dilemma ahead of the midweek tie. The Englishman’s presence helped a new look back four settles down well and helped United stay composed at the back even under intense pressure.

Jones was extremely strong on the ball and rarely allowed West Ham players to bully the defense. His positioning was spot on and his anticipation of West Ham’s movements was extremely accurate.

The Englishman regularly broke up West Ham attacks by intercepting play and denied the forward players any room in the final third. He was also vocal with his communication with Rojo and ensured that the Argentine was always on his toes.

While he was rock solid at the back, Jones also contributed in United’s forward play. He stepped up from the back to break up the opposition play and then unleashed the ball quickly to his forward players. There was nothing much he could do about the goal, but Jones ensured that United did not concede again and helped his team win the game.