The FA Cup is churning along, and with Manchester United desperate to have something to be happy about this season, this is a chance for them to work off some stress and get a much needed boost in confidence and head towards a concrete, positive goal to accomplish this season. Except this won’t be that easy, because West Ham have picked up a reputation for knocking down the big teams in the Premier League this season, and now they have a chance to do it again.
Manchester United vs. West Ham 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch FA Cup online
West Ham have gotten into a habit of toppling giants this season, and they might again in the FA Cup.
Michael Steele/Getty Images
Time and again, Slaven Bilic’s squad has risen to the occasion and put on a memorable performance against teams that no one gave them a chance against, winning game after game while giving the titans of the league bloody noses and split lips. This is a chance for them to do it again, and with higher stakes than just your average Premier League matchday on the line. If they can knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup, that will be quite a feather in West Ham’s cap.
Key player -- Dimitri Payet (West Ham)
When he’s been healthy, Payet has been a singular force in English football, an attacking force both in terms of chance creation for his teammates and in scoring some pretty spectacular goals himself. He’s an incredible talent and Manchester United don’t really have much in the way of a player who’s sure to stop him, and if they can’t so much as slow him down then they’re in a heaping mountain of trouble.
Key matchup -- Ander Herrera (Manchester United) vs. Pedro Obiang (West Ham)
Obiang’s playing time has been as inconsistent as his form this season, but the young Spanish midfielder has been eye-openingly impressive at times. With as strong and athletic as he is, he’s capable of doing some very impressive things in the defensive phase of midfield play, something West Ham will need in order to keep Herrera and Manchester’s possession game in check. The more he can harry and keep pressure on Herrera, the better chance that West Ham can force mistakes from Manchester’s midfield and, hopefully, punish them for those mistakes.
Manchester United injuries and suspensions
Out: Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, Will Keane, Luke Shaw In doubt: Phil Jones, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
West Ham United injuries and suspensions
Out: James Collins, Winston Reid, James Tomkins, Carl Jenkinson In doubt: Victor Moses, Enner Valencia, Joey O’Brien
Match Date/Time: Sunday, noon ET, 4 p.m. local
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
TV: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), Fox Deportes (U.S. - Spanish), Sportsnet World (Canada), BT Sport 2 (U.K.)
Online: Fox Soccer 2 Go, Fox Sports Go (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada), BT Sport Live Streaming (U.K.)
See More:
