Former Manchester City and England defender Danny Mills has made a bold claim, suggesting West Ham United’s starting line-up is stronger than Manchester United’s.
The Hammers pushed Man United to one side at the weekend, comfortably winning 2-0 at the London Stadium but the visitor’s team was diminished through injury and illness.
Speaking to Football Insider, Mills explained that if you go player for player in both club’s strongest teams, Manuel Pellegrini’s men would edge it:
It’s better than it was, when you go player for player against Manchester United, I think they probably just about shave it. Maybe six players to five, it’s quite close, but on paper maybe West Ham’s starting XI is a little bit better than Manchester United. That shows how much West Ham have improved but also the fall and demise of Manchester United.
Read West Ham’s verdict
If I was to have my say on the matter, I’d agree that it’s a narrow six players to five split, but in favour of Man United.
Take both teams at the weekend and West Ham top it for sure, but to say the Hammers boast a stronger team, in general, is reactionary more than anything.
You’d have De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire and Shaw over Fabianski, Fredericks, Ogbonna and Masuaku respectively, as well as Pogba over Noble and Rashford over Yarmolenko.
It could go either way though, everyone’s view on it will be different.
There’s one thing I do agree on though, and that’s the fact West Ham can compete with United’s team on paper and in the league table does certainly show how far the club has come.
Breakdown:
- De Gea over Fabianski
- Wan-Bissaka over Fredericks
- Diop over Lindelof
- Maguire over Ogbonna
- Shaw over Masuaku
- Rice over McTominay
- Pogba over Noble
- Lanzini over Pereira
- Rashford over Yarmolenko
- Felipe Anderson over James
- Haller over Martial
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