On February 10, 2026, at the London Stadium, West Ham United and Manchester United played out a dramatic 1-1 draw, with Tomáš Souček giving the hosts the lead in the 50th minute, and Benjamin Šeško rescuing a point for United with a volley in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The result left both sides with plenty to consider, West Ham battling to climb out of the relegation zone, and United clinging to a place in the top four.
Match in brief
West Ham, set up to frustrate Manchester United, held a slender advantage for most of the second half after Souček tucked home a low cross from Jarrod Bowen. United dominated possession, they had more of the ball across the 90 minutes, but they struggled to fashion clear-cut chances and looked vulnerable to West Ham counterattacks. A Casemiro header that looked like an equaliser was ruled out for offside by VAR, and it seemed the Hammers would cling on for a precious win, until Bryan Mbeumo swung in a stoppage-time cross and Šeško produced a superb first-time finish to make it 1-1.
Key moments
- 50': Tomáš Souček, alert to a loose moment in United's defence, finished a low cross from Jarrod Bowen to put West Ham ahead.
- Late second half: Casemiro headed home, but VAR flagged an offside in the build-up, the goal was disallowed.
- 90'+6' (96th minute): Benjamin Šeško, on as a substitute, volleyed home from close range to salvage a point for Manchester United.
Nuno Espírito Santo praised his team's spirit after the match, while Michael Carrick accepted his side had been below par, but hailed their persistence in the closing stages.
Tactical picture
West Ham
Nuno set his side up to be compact and dangerous on the break, they absorbed extended periods of United possession and sought to get bodies behind the ball, then hit quickly through Bowen and wide attackers. That approach limited United's clear opportunities, and Souček's late-arriving run into the box was the perfect example of West Ham getting reward for their pattern of play.
Manchester United
Under Michael Carrick, United showed patience with possession, they probed for openings but often lacked the final, incisive pass. The bench made the difference, with Šeško proving the match-winner, and substitutions aimed to stretch West Ham in the final minutes.
Match statistics
Metric | West Ham | Manchester United |
|---|---|---|
Possession | 35% | 65% |
Shots on target | 3 | 3 |
Total shots | 7 | 9 |
Corners | 5 | 3 |
Saves | 1 | 2 |
These figures underline the unusual pattern: United controlled the ball, but West Ham created dangerous moments on transitions and set pieces, and in the end a single moment turned the result on its head.
Lineups and formations
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West Ham (typical): Manchester United (typical):
GK: Fabianski GK: Onana
Def: Coufal, Soucek, Dawson Def: Varane, Martinez, Shaw
Mid: Soungoutou, Rice, Bowen Mid: Mainoo, Casemiro, Fernandes
For: Bowen, Summerville For: Amad, Rashford, Šeško (sub)
(Substitutes influenced late result: Šeško and Mbeumo combined for the equaliser.)
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Player performances
- Tomáš Souček, match-goal, physical and decisive, his timing into the box proved decisive for West Ham.
- Jarrod Bowen, influential on the right, created the chance for the goal and remained a constant outlet on transitions.
- Benjamin Šeško, a substitute, continued a rich vein of form with a composed volley in stoppage time, his impact underlines United's depth off the bench.
- Casemiro, a key presence in United's box-time attack, had a disallowed header and was influential aerially but could not change the ledger.
Managers and reactions
Nuno Espírito Santo framed the performance as evidence that his team can still dig in, and he stressed the fine margins between victory and draw when facing more possession-oriented teams. Michael Carrick was frank about a lack of fluency, yet he emphasised resilience, pointing to late-game character and bench options as reasons to be hopeful.
What the result means
- For West Ham, the draw felt like a missed opportunity. The point was valuable, but the team remains in a precarious position in the relegation fight, and every match now carries heightened significance.
- For Manchester United, the stoppage-time rescue preserved a point that could prove crucial in the run to secure Champions League qualification, but the performance raised questions about creative spark and the ability to break down low, organised defensive blocks.
Multiple viewpoints
- Fans of West Ham will view the evening as validation of Nuno's pragmatic approach, it demonstrated fight and organisation, and the belief that the club can pick up vital points playing compact football.
- Manchester United supporters will take relief from Šeško's late intervention, and they will take heart from the unbeaten run under Carrick, but they will also expect clearer, more consistent attacking displays from a squad aiming for the very top.
Context and outlook
This match adds another dramatic episode to a season where small margins define progress and peril. Both clubs go away with a point, but very different emotions. West Ham must convert promising performances into points more regularly if they are to climb out of danger, and Manchester United will look to sharpen their attacking play, especially in the middle third, to avoid relying on last-gasp interventions.
Conclusion
A 1-1 draw on February 10, 2026, at the London Stadium produced a classic modern Premier League spectacle: tactical discipline, late drama, and a reminder that in football, nothing is decided until the final whistle. For West Ham, the match was a missed chance to move toward safety, for Manchester United it was an object lesson in endurance and the value of substitutes who can change a game in an instant.