Manchester United Criticised For Approach By West Ham Manager

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce launched a thinly veiled attack on Manchester United’s attacking approach after their encounter on Sunday.

Manchester United had to rely on an injury time equalizer from Daley Blind to take a point away from Upton Park.

West Ham took the lead in the 49th minute after Cheikhou Koyate’s impressive volley. Manchester United created a few chances after Koyate’s goal but they were unable to force an equalizer before Blind’s injury time half volley.

But Allardyce was adamant that they were only able to get their goal because they resorted to long ball tactics.

Allardyce explained to the BBC how Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United had to just “thump it forward” in order to score their goal.

“In the end [West Ham United] couldn’t cope with the long balls Manchester United kept putting in the box. It was just, thump it forward and see what they could get, and in the end it paid off for them.”

Sam Allardyce also heaped praise upon his team and players for their performance against the 20 time English champions

“We have to give the players credit for how well they defended as well as how well they played in possession, which was almost the perfect performance.

It’s not a result we deserved or wanted, but we’re back to a level that we know we can play at. It was just a great shame we conceded a goal as late as we did, which wasn’t the normal goal you concede against Manchester United.”

Louis Van Gaal admitted that he was disappointed with Manchester United’s draw against West Ham, and he explained why he resorted to the long ball tactics that Allardyce was critical of.

The Dutch coach noted that he was forced to change his approach because of his team’s poor performance in the first half, which he admitted left him “frustrated” and “disappointed.”

“I cannot say that I am very happy with the point, because I’m very disappointed about the poor first half and we can do much better. We need the guts to play football along the floor. That we have done in the second half.”

Van Gaal also believes that Luke Shaw, who was sent off in stoppage time after Daley Blind’s equalizer, didn’t deserve to be dismissed.

Manhester United’s next match is against Burnley on 11 February, while West Ham will travel to Southampton on Wednesday too.

[Image via Fanatix]