Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised his players for “having a go” despite being knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the third round by a much-changed West Ham.
Manuel Lanzini fired West Ham to a 1-0 win, their first victory at Old Trafford since 2007, as underwhelming United bowed out of the competition they had reached the semi-finals in the last two seasons. Both sides made a combined 21 changes but United played a second string that included the likes of Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial and that were joined from the bench by Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes. Solskjaer’s men could not find a way past a resolute and clinical Hammers, who rested Tomas Soucek, Declan Rice and Michail Antonio.
Solskjaer says United were denied a “clear penalty” when Mark Noble pulled down Jesse Lingard shortly after Lanzini scored what proved to be the winner.
Noble was handed a rare start by David Moyes in midfield, this despite missing a last-minute penalty with his first touch off the bench in a 2-1 Premier League win for United at the London Stadium when the sides met on Sunday.
Solskjaer said: “It’s a penalty on Jesse. You can’t pull his shorts when you are on the way down. Mark [Noble] was unlucky on Sunday and lucky with that one today.”
