Hello! Welcome to our coverage of today’s clash of the Uniteds — namely West Ham and Manchester United at Upton Park.

The news is in that Adnan Januzaj starts for United while there are no places for Marouane Fellaini or Juan Mata.

That United team sees Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie start together up front. Here’s the team in full:

Meanwhile, West Ham line up as follows:

An interesting aside is the inclusion of Reece Oxford on the West Ham bench. The England underage international is just 16 years and 54 days old and will become The Hammers youngest ever first team player were he to come off the bench today.

So United visit Upton Park for the first time since Wayne Rooney scored this pearler.

That was back in the David Moyes era, we’re now in the Louis van Gaal era and many would say that not much has changed.

However United still sit just inside the Champions League places and a win today would see them take over third place.

It’s certainly not been the United of old this season but they have been managing to grind out results and a top four finish would have to be considered somewhat of a success. With Man City slipping up at home to Hull yesterday United can move to within three points of their Manchester rivals were they to beat Sam Allardyce’s side in this one.

It might not be great to watch but it’s not tall doom and gloom for United fans.

Half-and-half scarf anyone?

No? That is the correct answer!

PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

United have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between these two teams. Does that really mean anything?

Probably not, no, but it’s a nice little statistic.

The players are on the pitch and lining up for the pre-match handshakes.

West Ham will have to come to grips with United’s formidable attack today, including Angel Di Maria who Dwight Yorke continues to call “Tia Maria” in the studio.

Wayne Rooney lines up on the right of the Manchester United diamond yet again today, like he did on Tuesday against Cambridge.

Is the United captain wasted somewhat in a deeper, wider position? What do we think United fans, should he be used in his natural forward position instead?

Kick-off - We’re underway at Upton Park/the Boleyn Ground. United line up in their white away jerseys, playing from left to right as we watch it.

Three minutes in we’ve had the first foul of the game as Alex Song chops down Adnan Januzaj, but avoids the wrath of Mark Clattenburg’s yellow card. The free-kick is too high for everyone in the box and safely gathered by Adrian.

Song feeds Stewart Downing down the left-wing. The born-again winger jinks right and then left, working himself a yard of space before he crosses into the box but David De Gea claims easily.

Almost a chance for United! Song picked the ball up on the edge of his box and, for some inexplicable reason, attempted to pass it across his box. Van Persie nipped in to control it but couldn’t get it under control and it was cleared.

Enner Valencia stretches the United defence down the wing, winning a corner for his troubles. Downing’s delivery is met by Tomkins and drops in a good area but Rojo was quick to hoof clear.

Very close for West Ham! Valencia has been a thorn in the side of the United defence since kick-off. On this ocassion he picked up the second ball after a needless header from Rojo, pinging a volley at goal from 25 yards. De Gea got down well to touch it away for a corner.

The set piece again found the head of Tomkins who knocked it down to Valencia and his effort was well saved by De Gea again. The subsequent corner comes to nothing and United can breathe again.

West Ham are well on top so far and are doing an excellent job of pressing United high up the pitch.

The visitors have been forced to turn back on the halfway line a number of times due to high pressure from the West Ham midfield. It’ll be interesting to see if they can maintain such a high intensity for the whole match.

United (the Manchester one that is) are beginning to pick it up a bit more now. Shaw is having particular joy down the left wing and has just won his side a corner. Rooney to take.

A chance squandered by West Ham! Rooney’s delivery came to nothing and was cleared, allowing Valencia to streak clear from the half way line. Only Shaw was behind the ball for United but some excellent tracking back from Di Maria caused the West Ham player to pause and lay it off to Sakho, allowing the other Valencia to make a tackle.

Van Persie’s arm flaps into Tomkins face as he jumps for a header, earning him a truck-load of abuse from the Upton Park faithful. Mark Clattenburg gave the Dutchman a lecture but deemed it unworthy of a yellow card.

There’s the offending action. Van Persie was lucky to get away with that one.

Yet another free header for Tomkins, this time from a West Ham free-kick causes yet more havoc in the United box before it’s eventually scrambled clear. The visitors defending of set plays has been very poor so far.

Mark Clattenburg may have forgotten his cards when he came to the match this afternoon. Phil Jones has just clattered into Valencia studs first, yet only a free-kick was awarded.

Another West Ham corner and yet another free header, this time for Valencia. United are going to have to improve their defence in the air or else they’ll find themselves behind very quickly.

West Ham are squandering so many chances! The latest saw Sakho zip down the right wing and to the edge of the box. He had time to slow down and look up but ended up rolling a harmless cross right into the arms of De Gea.

At the other end Di Maria tried his luck from distance but it was straight at Adrian.

Marcos Rojo picks up a yellow card for a foul on Valencia in the lead up to Sakho’s chance. United have just won a corner, Di Maria to take.

The Argentinian’s cross is too high and flies over the bar.

There’s the lads. Having a lads day out. The lads.

We’ve reached half-time at Upton Park. West Ham have probably been the better team but haven’t been fruitful with the chances they’ve created.

What was it that got so much criticism during Moyes’ time in charge at United? Ah yes, the poor quality of crossing.

West Ham get us back underway.

GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Manchester United (Kouyate, 49′)

Finally West Ham have punished United for their poor defending from set pieces. After failing to deal with the cross United allowed Kouyate to take the ball down in the six yard box, back to goal, solo it once, twice before swiveling and rifling home on the volley. It was excellent skill from the West Ham man but appalling defending from the visitors.

Di Maria finds van Persie pulling out wide with a ball over the top. The Dutchman controls it on his thigh and volleys at goal but Adrian was able to save easily.

Enner Valencia battles for the ball with Marcos Rojo. PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

United are enjoying a sustained spell of pressure in the final third but they can’t find the telling ball in behind. Falcao is being forced to drop deep and pick it up with his back to goal.

There’s a bit of a delay here as Kouyate receives treatment after a heavy clash with Shaw.

Almost a second for West Ham! Jenkinson went down the right and delivered a cross to the box post. The ball alluded everyone but almost sneaked in past De Gea.

Since the goal United have had more possession and look to be more lively but they’ve still created nothing. Van Gaal hasn’t instructed any of his subs to warm-up at all yet either.

Two United corners come to notbhing despite good deliveries from Rooney and Di Maria. West Ham have been excellent in the air both going forward and attacking. In other news Fellaini is out to warm up.

Wes Ham win another corner and this time go short. Downing tees up Jenkinson on the edge of the box but his shot is blocked away by Blind.

Van Gaal has gone to his go-to man. Fellaini replaces Januzaj.

“He’s bee given his instructions; to stand on the penalty spot and head it,” says Gary Neville crudely. Crude, alright, but also very accurate.

At the other end Song is booked for fouling Rooney.

It looks like Di Maria has been watching David Alaba as he takes an effort at goal with a 40 yard free-kick. You won’t be surprised to hear that it flew over the bar.

It’s happened! United’s Valencia has tackled United’s Valencia. The Manchester United Valencia won.

Falcao misses from six yards with a dreadful effort. A long ball forward was won well by the Colombian as he nodded it down to Van Persie. His strike partner found him again with a return pass as he slipped in behind but, one-on-one with Adrian, he somehow managed to skew it wide.

Chance for United! Rooney’s corner is cleared only as far as Rojo, he fires back into the box where Adrian punches but only as far as Fellaini. The big Belgian gets his head to it but he can only guide it over the bar.

This really is poor stuff from United. For all the attacking prowess they have on the pitch they look slow and short of imagination. Yet another ball is played long to the head of Fellaini. The result? It’s easily cleared by Tomkins.

Another chance for United! Di Maria finds Falcao with a pass. The Colombian turns and lays it off to Van Persie who’s low shot from ten yards is saved by the feet of Adrian.

As West Ham broke Shaw broke the break down with a foul, earning himself a yellow card. Rooney then decided to complain and earned himself a place in Mark Clattenburg’s book.

Then Matt Jarvis replaced Valencia. It’s all happening!

What a chance for West Ham! Jarvis pulls a good ball back from the byline, finding Nolan on the penalty spot with no one around him. He took the shot on first time but it was straight at De Gea who palmed away before saving the follow up from Noble. United don’t even look like getting an equaliser here.

Yet another chance for West Ham! This time it’s Jenkinson who crosses from the right. De Gea came out to claim it but stumbled slightly and got caught under it. The ball dropped on the head of Jarvis but he managed to head wide of an open goal.

Another long ball towards Fellaini is controlled well by the Belgian twelve yards out. However, his shot on the turn is feeble and easily saved by Adrian. There will be four additional minutes.

Van Persie is fouled by Kouyate on the very edge of the box. Rooney and Di Maria stand over it…

Rooney steps up and hit it straight into the wall and it’s cleared.

GOAL! West Ham 1-1 Manchester United (Blind, 92′)

RED CARD! Luke Shaw is sent off for a foul on Stewart Downing.

It’s all happening right at the death. Firstly, United’s strategy of aiming for Fellaini’s head finally worked as he knocked Rojo’s pass down to Blind who fired into the bottom right corner to see United level.

Seconds later Shaw fouled Downing as he tried to stop a counter attack, earning him a second yellow and a red card.

Full-time – It ends 1-1 at Upton Park after a dramatic finish.

So, United got out of jail when they probably didn’t deserve to. West Ham were excellent and squandered two great chances in the dying minutes that would have seen them take all three points.

As for the other United it was yet another sluggish performance that was saved by Marouane Fellaini. It might not be “the United way” and it’s certainly not great to watch but Fellaini has been effective off the bench for United on occasion this season — the draw away to West Brom earlier in the season springs to mind.

Also, Chris Smalling could probably be a contender for the shortest Premier League appearance ever after being brought on for Falcao approximately ten seconds before Mark Clattenburg blew the whistle. He could probably get away with not having to have a shower after that taxing cameo.

That’s all from me for this evening, stay tuned to The42.ie for a match report and more reaction from the goings-on at Upton Park. Bye!