The Pellegrini verdict

Manuel Pellegrini was a disconsolate figure as he left the dug out at the final whistle but had recovered sufficiently within minutes to deliver his verdict on the defeat at Old Trafford.

And he had every right to be delighted with the performance if deeply disappointed with the result which was entirely confusing given the manner in which the Irons played.

For at last this was surely the sort of big club performance he and we have been waiting to see all season as the fearless Hammers matched United blow for blow and frankly were the better team.

It’s of course easy to say that as a fan but it would be a brave individual who claimed that the best team didn’t lose, The Irons were superb throughout and it’s so easy to have sympathy for the boss.

He has been preaching the ‘big club’ message all season and finally saw the team do exactly that and lose.

Afterwards he said: ““It’s hard to say how we’ve come away from here not only with a point, but all three.
“For me it was a pleasure to see the way the team played here, against Manchester United at Old Trafford,
“It was a very good performance and we were unfortunate [not to get a result].
“I don’t want to complain about the referee because all of them were very difficult decisions.
“Our goal [in the first half] was onside, by just one [player’s] foot, so that’s why the mistake was made. If we have VAR it’s a goal.
“The second goal they scored was a mistake from us, but it was also offside. Rashford touches the ball, so it’s offside.
“We also made a mistake for that goal and I’m not complaining that we lost because of the referee. The three of them were very difficult decisions. It was not possible to see, but with VAR we win this game.”
Pellegrini was sorry for Michail Antonio who was desperately unlucky not to score from chances that hot the bar and were saved.
He said: “That’s why you need a bit of luck to win the game. Antonio did very well for both chances – he hit the crossbar and the other was a really good save.
“It’s more difficult [to get to seventh now], but I repeat my target is to finish as high as we can and we are going to fight until the last game for that.”

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon