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After making a slow start to the match, United burst into life
in the 38th minute when Rashford powered a bullet header into
the net on the end of Christian Eriksen's sublime cross to give
the home side the lead.
Veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo, making just his third league
start of the season, wasted a golden chance to double United's
lead early in the second half, firing wide from a good position,
before West Ham upped the ante.
The visitors piled on the pressure as the match wore on, but
found United goalkeeper David de Gea in inspired form, twice
called into action to deny West Ham substitute Michail Antonio,
producing superb stops on both occasions.
Another sensational save from the Spaniard to keep out Declan
Rice's strike right at the death preserved United's win which
takes them above Chelsea into fifth in the standings, one point
behind fourth-placed Newcastle United. West Ham stay 13th.
"It's a great win for us. If we want to achieve and be in the
top places we have to win games like this today," De Gea told
Sky Sports.
"Of the two saves, probably the header from Zouma was the best
because it was almost certainly going in but I am happy for all
of them. Happy to make the saves and it's a massive win."
David Moyes had never won at Old Trafford as an opposition
manager in the Premier League, a run of 15 winless matches,
prior to Sunday's encounter, but his West Ham side more than
held their own in the first half in the Manchester rain.
Other than a couple of scuffed efforts from Rashford and Anthony
Elanga, the away goal was rarely troubled early on.
The game needed a quality delivery to help break the deadlock
and that is what it got as Eriksen curled a perfect cross onto
Rashford's head, with the England striker showing great
determination to get on the end of it.
Other than the Ronaldo chance early in the second half, after
the break it was mostly one-way traffic in United's direction,
with De Gea taking a starring role in keeping the visitors at
bay.
His stop to keep Antonio's first attempt from range was
acrobatic, while the second, from a flicked header, a contender
for save of the season.
Rice thought he had snatched a point right at the death with a
long-range effort of his own, but across sprung De Gea to secure
a vital victory for an improving United, who are now unbeaten in
eight in all competitions.
What's more, for the first time in the Premier League this
season, United will end a day in the standings with a positive
goal difference.
"The last few games against United we have done the same," Moyes
said. "We done a good job, played well, put them under plenty of
pressure, we just lacked the final ingredient.
"David de Gea's two saves were fantastic. You can't be United's
number one if you are not a fantastic goalkeeper.
"We are disappointed not to score. We played very well at
Anfield, missed a penalty, had a couple of opportunities, and it
was the same tonight."
(Reporting by Peter Hall; editing by Clare Fallon and Christian
Radnedge)
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