We are mathematically safe!

Man United 1 West Ham 1

It's another 6pm in front of Now TV and an empty Old Trafford in the David Moyes derby. When Martial inspires a good save from Fabianski early on it looks like WHU might be grateful to keep the goal difference down. Greenwood and Rashford have further efforts saved but West Ham defend stoutly and slowly grow into the game. 

A Cresswell cross fizzes across United's goalmouth, Lindelof almost heads Jonson's cross past his own keeper and Ogbonna misses a good headed chance from a corner. Just before the break Antonio is fouled on the edge of the area. The ball is tapped to Rice whose piledriver is rashly handballed by Pogba. An easy pen for the ref. I'm not sure it's very professional of Noble to give the penalty to Antonio, but Michail strokes it home to reach double figures for the season, with eight of them coming after the Restart.

United equalise five minutes into the second half after a series of intricate one-twos between Martial and the very promising Greenwood. But instead of capitulating it's West Ham who take the game to United. Bowen is causing massive problems with his speed and forces a fine save from De Gea with a deflected effort, while Rice shoots just wide and an advanced Noble is spraying passes around like a Canning Town Pirlo. At the back Ben Jonson has handled Rashford really well in just his third game. Another plus is that Kevin Nolan has an iPad, with which he delivers instructions to our subs. Presumably it contains detailed diagrams of how to stand in front of the keeper at corners. Alan Pardew's notebook seems a long time ago now we've gone all high-tech.

There's a minor scare when Ighalo slices wide but we survive four minutes of added time comfortably and leave the pitch a little disappointed not to win, which is progress. It's job done for Moyes and as he says his signings of Bowen and Soucek have made the difference, allied to Antonio's sudden metamorphosis into a clinical finisher. Moyes now deserves some time to change the culture of the club.

No more worries about West Ham losing 5-0 to both United and Villa, while Watford win 5-0 at Arsenal and stay up on goal difference. Finally we are mathematically safe and go above Brighton. Next season's relegation struggle/stab at mid-table security/bid for Europe starts here. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Jonson 7, Diop 7, Ogbonna 8, Cresswell 7 (Masuaku 6); Rice 7, Fornals 7, Noble 8, Soucek 6; Bowen 8 (Yarmolenko n/a), Antonio 7 (Haller 6).