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Manchester United will try to preserve what little dignity remains from sitting 15th in the Premier League table brings with it as they welcome 17th-placed West Ham United to Old Trafford on Sunday.
Both the Red Devils and the Hammers have had entirely forgettable domestic campaigns and the latter coud leapfrog the hosts on the table with a victory at Old Trafford.
Since emerging triumphant in their Europa League Round of 16 tie over Real Sociedad, Ruben Amorim and his men have only had eyes for continental silverware.
In a campaign where Manchester United fans have seen their club stoop to unprecedented lows domestically, the Europa League, quite remarkably, offers the Red Devils a route back to Europe's elite competition.
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Their 7-1 (on aggregate) win over Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals of the Europa League has set up an all-English showdown on May 21 against Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs are currently languishing right below United at 16th in the league table. The Lilywhites will be just as desperate to heal from their wounds accrued over the course of this campaign by winning the Europa League final at San Mames in less than two weeks.
Suffice it to say, when West Ham pull up at Old Trafford this Sunday, there's not much at stake except for simple pride, or whatever can be salvaged of it. The Hammers are on course to their worst-ever finish to a Premier League campaign since ending the 2010-11 season at rock bottom and getting relegated.
They are presently eight games without a win, only slightly worse than their Sunday opponents, Manchester United, who last tasted success in the Premier League six matches ago.
Manchester United vs West Ham United Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- West Ham United are winless in their last 16 Premier League away matches against Manchester United, losing all of their last four.
- Manchester United have lost three of their last four Premier League matches against the Hammers.
- United are without a win in their last six league outings while West Ham are winless in their last eight.
- Since Graham Potter's first game in charge as the Hammers' manager in January, only Leicester City (seven points), Ipswich Town (six points) and Southampton (five points) have picked up fewer points than West Ham (14).
- Manchester United have suffered 16 losses in the Premier League this term, their most in a league campaign since finishing 13th in the 1989-90 season, when they also lost 16 times.
Manchester United vs West Ham United Prediction
Despite their abysmal Premier League campaigns, the mood in the two camps couldn't be more different ahead of Sunday's clash.
United thrashed Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals to keep their Champions League hopes alive despite running their English top-flight campaign to the ground.
Home advantage, the galvanizing effect of a potential reversal of fortunes that comes coupled with the promise of precious silverware should buoy United to a win over West Ham on Sunday.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 West Ham United
Manchester United vs West Ham United Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Manchester United to win
Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals - Yes
Tip 3: Both teams to score - Yes
