It's back to lucky-ish pub the Floirin with Lisa for this one. The Guinness is good as we take our table next to several older MUFC fans in Sharp-sponsored United shirts, gathered to watch their side go fifth if they win. Roy Keane and Super Slaven Bilic are in the studio as Sky seems to focus exclusively on the Mancs pre-match.
West Ham's bench is packed with kids in the absence of Paqueta, Summerville, Guilherme, Scarles and Fullkrug, while poor old James Ward-Prowse is again persona non grata.
Heaven is booked for clattering Wilson and Diallo dives to try and win a penalty early on. It's soon evident that Aaron Wan-Bissaka has a point to prove to his old employers. He makes a couple of brilliant tackles and gets forward to cross for Mateus Fernandes to have a goalbound shot blocked.
United increase the pressure towards the end of the half with Amad causing Diouf problems. Mbuemo's curling shot is tipped over by Areola. United have a double chance as Zirkzee's shot is cleared off the line by AWB and then Bruno Fernandes volleys just wide.
But Potts and Magassa are getting in tackles, the Greek Bloke is solid and Todibo is having his best game for West Ham. Shortly before the break Bowen jinks inside three defenders to get a shot away, only for it be half-blocked and gathered by Lammens.
Nuno will be the happier gaffer with 0-0 at the break. The second half sees a great West Ham move as Magassa, Bowen and Wilson combine to release Magassa who fires into the side-netting. But it looks like the usual plucky defeat when Casemiro's mishit shot deflects to Dalot who strokes home.
West Ham show character to keep going and Magassa, Bowen and Wan-Bissaka show real intensity to drive the team forward as Potts has a shot blocked. Mbuemo's dive in the box doesn't fool the ref as Todibo hasn't touched him. Nuno brings on Andy Irving and gives a debut to French youngster Mohamadou Kante - he's certainly not scared of using young players.
MAGIC MAGASSA
The Portobello Pirlo's first act is to curl in a great corner. Bowen gets a flick-on and his header is cleared off the line by Mazraoui. But Soungoutou Magassa is on hand to calmly steer it into the corner. He looks ecstatic to score and races to the away fans. We might have a player here.
On 90 minutes we're treated to a late cameo from DC, arriving straight from work and staying long enough to see Bowen get through and cross across the goalmouth and Bruno Fernandes fire over from Areola's parry during the five minutes of added time.
It's a merited draw in the end. It might not take West Ham out of the bottom three but it's a very encouraging performance. The evening is made better by watching Roy Keane doing his Grinch act in the studio, complaining that United fans are too positive cheering off players who get subbed. "No disrespect to West Ham," he says, before disrespecting West Ham.
A big positive is that our midfield is suddenly young and energetic, with Potts, Magassa and Fernandes all in their early twenties. Callum Wilson has lasted 87 minutes too, though we also need a younger striker in the window to take the pressure off him. I'd keep the same side for the Brighton match even with Paqueta returning after suspension, just to prove that it's not all about him. There were some nice choruses of "Billy Bonds' Claret and Blue Army!" picked up on the TV too. Billy would have approved of the attitude shown at Old Trafford. Irons!
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