Kick-off delayed by 45 minutes until 8.30pm
Good evening! If you haven’t heard (which is unlikely given the amount of coverage it has received over the past couple of days), West Ham wave goodbye to the ground they have called home for 112 years tonight.
The Hammers, who will take up residence at London’s Olympic Stadium from next season, play their final game at Upton Park, or if you prefer, the Boleyn Ground, in a Premier League meeting with Manchester United.
Tributes to stadium are sure to take centre stage with many of ex-West Ham stars in attendance, but the game is not without significance as Man United attempt to pip noisy neighbours Man City, who they trail by two points with a game in-hand, to fourth place in the Premier League.
Louis van Gaal’s men can secure the final Champions League with a win this evening coupled with another at home to Bournemouth on Sunday.
Seventh-placed West Ham, meanwhile, are looking to earn a place in the Europa League.
Teams are in:
WEST HAM: Randolph, Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Sakho, Lanzini, Payet, Carroll.
MAN UNITED: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Herrera, Schneiderlin, Rooney, Mata, Rashford, Martial.
Paolo Di Canio is certainly dressed to impress…
The Manchester United players and staff have been stuck in heavy traffic coming up to the ground, meaning they have only just arrived in the past couple of minutes.
That’s not the ideal preparation.
BREAKING: Kick-off has been delayed by 45 minutes until 8.30pm.
It looks like the Man United bus came into a spot of bother on the way into Upton Park with some fans firing missiles.
Not the type of scenes you want to see.
Wayne Rooney, talking to Sky Sports minutes ago: “The coach was smashed up but we have to prepare for the game and go out and do our job.
I’m sure you’ll see the images, but it was disappointing. We know it’s a big game for West Ham and a big night for them leaving the stadium but I’m sure West Ham as a club will be disappointed.”
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has just been on BBC 5 Live, claiming the kick-off was delayed because Man United were late as opposed to the bus being attacked.
With buckets of time to fill, Sky Sports have been dragging out ex-West Ham players to chat pitchside. After Marlon Harewood and Anton Ferdinand make appearances, it’s the turn of former Hammers and Man United striker Teddy Sheringham.
And he’s wearing a fabulous hat.
And here’s Louis van Gaal being interviewed by Geoff Shreeves:
“The images tell everything. I have seen also the police were taping. It is also a lot of emotions for people but for us it is the second time in London we have to start later. It’s better than last time because we have received our preparation time.
“It is not the first time I have seen that. It is not so nice. The way we have been received is not the proper way of course. That makes all the influence on the players and that is a pity.”
The players are out, there are bubbles floating around the stadium and West Ham fans are belting out the club’s famous anthem.
Kick-off is seconds away.
KICK-OFF – 45 minutes later than originally scheduled, the game has just begun here.
A frantic start to the game, as Winston Reid goes down in the box under a challenge from Marcos Rojo but referee Mike Dean waves play on.
Manuel Lanzini then sends an overhead kick too high from the edge of the box.
GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Manchester United (Diafra Sakho)
The Hammers lead! A good passage of play ends as Lanzini’s attempted through-ball run all the way to Rojo. His clearance is a poor one, however, and Kouyate recycles.
From there, Cresswell feeds Lanzini and the little Argentine attacker cuts it back for Sakho to stroke past De Gea.
West Ham continue on the front foot and Payet lashes a shot straight at De Gea after good control and lay-off from Carroll.
BIG CHANCE – Carroll finds himself in acres of space after Daley Blind goes missing but the big England striker advances forward before shooting at the legs of De Gea.
West Ham have the ball in the net for a second time through Michail Antonio but the linesman had his flag up to signal a corner.
Man United have not turned up at all yet.
Ireland’s Darren Randolph, deputising for the injured Adrian, very nearly gets himself in a spot of trouble but manages to get his feet right with Martial rushing in.
Martial gives possession away in his own half and Noble nicks in to set up a West Ham attack. He feeds Payet and the Frenchman disappointingly shoots well off-target.
Man United may be enjoying more of the possession but they can’t turn it into goalscoring chances at the moment.
More pressure West Ham and Antonio’s effort is delflected behind for a corner before Sakho rises highest to head over from a corner.
Half-time: West Ham 1-0 Manchester United
While you wait for the second half to begin, here’s a video Jesse Lingard filmed of the Man United players inside their team bus as it was attacked.
Watch Cameron Borthwick-Jackson remain calm as the others drop into the aisle.
Ex-West Ham midfielder Michael Carrick is warming up on the pitch so we could be seeing him introduced for Man United after the break.
SECOND HALF – We’ve just restarted, and Carrick is indeed on for Morgan Schneiderlin.
Man United win a free-kick in a good position 30 yards out from goal but Rooney’s set-piece is headed clear.
GOAL! West Ham 1-1 Manchester United (Anthony Martial)
We’re all-square! Rashford plays in Mata after an overlapping run from the Spaniard, and he picks out Martial who coolly sidefoots into an empty net.
CLOSE! Carroll battles with Smalling for possession and the ball comes out to Payet, who isn’t far away with a 25-yard strike.
MISS! Sakho heads over when it looked easier to score. Bad miss from the Senegalese forward.
Mata feeds Rashford and he looks to return the pass with a back-heel. However, it comes off a defender and rolls agonisingly across the goal mouth.
OFF THE LINE – Martial heads clear Carroll’s goalward effort.
BOOKING – Valencia receives a yellow card for a foul on Kouyate and this is Payet territory.
That was not one of his finest moments, however.
GOAL! West Ham 1-2 Manchester United (Anthony Martial)
It’s a second for Martial to put United in front. Rooney and Rashford begin the attack, then the young Frenchman sets off on a run down the left. He cuts inside and looks to cross the ball but it catches Randolph off-guard and sneaks in at the near post.
Great goal but Ireland’s goalkeeper will not want to see that back.
West Ham 2-2 Manchester United (Michail Antonio)
We’re level once again. A Payet free-kick comes back out to him off the wall and his second attempt finds Antonio, who sends a powerful header into the top corner.
GOAL! West Ham 3-2 Manchester United (Winston Reid)
What a turnaround! New Zealand defender Reid is first to a cross to head beyond De Gea.
SUBSTITUTIONS – Van Gaal brings on Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj, while Pedro Obiang and James Tomkins replace Lanzini and Sakho.
Four minutes of added time to play…
Full-time: West Ham 3-2 Manchester United
