Alphonse Areola hailed for ‘exceptional’ moment for West Ham v Manchester United
West Ham United came out on top with a 2-0 victory against Manchester United on Sunday.
Although Manchester United dominated in terms of overall shots, the Red Devils failed to get too many efforts on target and Alphonse Areola stood firm in the net.
Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen took their opportunities as they both made the difference at Old Trafford.
Areola hailed for late moment v Manchester United
Graham Potter hasn’t had the easiest of times since his arrival at the London Stadium earlier in the season, with the Hammers struggling to get going.
Although Manchester United would argue that they made a number of changes to the side with a focus on their upcoming Europa League final, based on how many opportunities they had, Ruben Amorim’s men should have done better.
| Team | Possession | Shots | Shots on target |
| West Ham | 48% | 9 | 4 |
| Manchester United | 52% | 20 | 5 |
Nevertheless, the West Ham boss will be pleased with how Areola did in goal, keeping his side out of danger when anything came knocking.
Towards the end of the game, the Red Devils came close to a goal with a header that was on target before being parried back into the path of Rasmus Hojlund.
Areola saved both chances, stopping any last-minute nerves.
Speaking live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra (11 May), Karen Bardsley praised the goalkeeper for his efforts as she said: “What a fantastic save from Alphonse Areola.
“To not only be able to react to the initial header on target but also get across quickly and dive at the feet of Rasmus Hojlund is exceptional.
“He just throws himself in the way in order to keep his clean sheet. Tremendous.”
Areola makes his case to Potter
As the summer transfer window approaches, Potter has plenty of work he has to do in preparation for next season.
The boss was limited in what he was able to do during the winter window, but is expected to have some more freedom at the end of the campaign.
With that in mind, there are plenty of names that are being linked with a move to East London to strengthen the Hammers side.
It has been reported that the Irons are interested in a move for James Trafford this summer, which would surely make him the number one choice for Potter and push Areola into the shadows.
However, if the current goalkeeper can carry on pulling off impressive saves, similar to the one he pulled off on Sunday, he may well show Potter that he can still be trusted between the sticks.