James returns to toothless attack

Daniel James takes on West Ham's Ryan Fredericks

(Photo: Getty Images)

After missing Manchester United's Europa League win over Astana on Thursday, Daniel James returned to action on Sunday, but was unable to prevent his side from succumbing to a 2-0 defeat away to West Ham.

The winger missed training on Wednesday, but took full advantage of the team's recovery day on Friday in order to prove his fitness ahead of the game at the London Stadium. He played the full 90 minutes unscathed, but the team's pride will have been injured by the nature of the defeat.


Despite having the majority of the possession, United's finishing was found wanting, as only three of their nine total shots required saving by Lukasz Fabianski. With Thursday's matchwinner Mason Greenwood absent due to tonsillitis, James was joined in a front four by Juan Mata, Andreas Pereira and Marcus Rashford; however, when Rashford went down with a groin injury after an hour, that left United without a recognised striker on the pitch.

The departures of Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku to Inter this summer have left United's attacking ranks thin, and with Anthony Martial not having trained for a month since picking up a knock against Crystal Palace, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær will be hoping to expedite his and Greenwood's recovery ahead of the visits of Rochdale in the Carabao Cup and Arsenal in the league this week.

There was also Welsh representation for Manchester United's under-18s on Saturday. Defender Iestyn Hughes came on for the last 30 minutes in place of Ben Hockenhull, but by then the match was already settled. United twice came from behind to go into the half-time break level at 2-2, but Tommy Cannon's goal for the visitors just after the interval was the last of the scoring. United have now lost each of their last three matches, leaving them 10th in the Premier League North table.