Dev Squad 1-2 Manchester United - FT

Full-time: It's all over at Old Trafford. 'Glory, glory Man United' rings out as the Hammers come up just short at the home of the Red Devils. Keane opened the scoring for the hosts who were pegged back when Fanimo struck after 41 minutes. The away side weren't level for long however as Pereira put the home side back in front straight from the restart. The Hammers went for it in the second half but found it tough going against a good Manchester United side.

90 mins: The board is up, three minutes will be added on. It's now or never for the young Hammers.

89 mins: Turgott is denied a throw-in as he looks to race down the right-hand side. We're nearly into stoppage time here.

87 mins: Chance. Chambers scuffs a shot wide of the target as United fail to clear Fanimo's corner.

86 mins: Turgott is like Usain Bolt as he sprints back, overtaking the fresh Rowley, to cut-out a through ball.

84 mins: Rowley emerges from the dug-out to replace the impressive Pereira. The home side are keeping the ball extremely well and making life hard for the visitors.

82 mins: Haycock is barking orders from his technical area as he urges his side to keep pressing the United players. The Hammers need a big effort now.

80 mins: Varela gets down the right and pulls the ball back for Lingard who slaps a left-foot shot over the bar.

78 mins: Maguire's gone up top with Lee now as the visitors look to go on the front foot.

76 mins: Maguire is on the sideline ready to come on in the Hammers' final change. Bywater's number is up as he is replaced.

74 mins: Page is penalised for a foul on Varela as the full-back looks to run in behind. The free-kick is over-hit and rolls harmlessly out of play.

72 mins: United make their first change. Grimshaw jogs on to replace Rothwell who seems to still be feeling the effects of Page's tackle.

70 mins: Twenty minutes remain for the away side to find the equaliser that they are well capable of doing.

68 mins: Turgott doesn't take the opportunity to shoot as the crowd, myself included, scream at him to do so! The winger cuts back twice in the box before his eventual shot is blocked.

66 mins: Page goes into the book as he comes in with a crunching tackle on Rothwell. Yellow card.

65 mins: The game has entered a bit of a lull as both teams become sloppy in possession. With just the one goal in it there's definitely something here for the Hammers.

62 mins: Petrucci makes Spiegel work with a tame shot from the edge of the box which requires minimal attention from the keeper.

60 mins: The Hammers look to have changed their shape with those substitutions. Turgott has slotted in behind Lee as opposed to the flat midfield trio before the change.

58 mins: Indeed the duo do make their way onto the pitch replacing Lletget and Razak.

56 mins: Haycock is pondering making his first change as Lee goes for a run before seeing a shot blocked. Makasi and Turgott are stripped and ready to come on.

54 mins: Pereira is on the hunt for his second of the match as Keane breaks out of defence and feeds the ball to him. He turns toward goal and has a dig but his strike is mis-hit and flies over the bar.

51 mins: Keep ball is the name of the game for United with the away team restricted to counter-attacks at present.

49 mins: The second half starts much the same which the first did. United having all of the ball and the Hammers looking to contain their opponents.

47 mins: Early corner for the home side is cleared by Potts.

46 mins: West Ham get us underway for the second half here at Old Trafford looking to overturn their one-goal deficit.

Half-time: What an end to the half! The Hammers cancelled out Keane's opener through a Matthias Fanimo strike after 41 minutes. Just seconds later however they were behind again as Pereira cut inside and struck a beautiful shot past Spiegel. Great game so far, all set-up nicely for the second half.

45 mins: Rothwell nearly adds to the lead as he thunders a shot against the crossbar from Pereira's cross.

44 mins: What a mad couple of minutes here as joy turns to despair in a matter of seconds.

42 mins Goal: United hit straight back as Pereira ducks in from the left and fires the ball past Spiegel. Astounding stuff.

41 mins GOAL: Get in! Fanimo smashes home a half-volley after Lee brings down Knoyle's cross.

40 mins: Whitehead sends a shot flying into the second tier of the vacant Stretford End as the visitors go on the offensive.

38 mins: The home support can be heard for the first time during the match as several of them break into song. On the pitch, Varela is a threat again and just fails to get his cross in after being picked out on the right.

36 mins: The Hammers can consider themselves unlucky to be behind considering they could have been in front themselves just moments earlier when Lee nodded wide.

33 mins Goal: Keane gives the home side the lead against the run of play. The defender finds himself in the box where he turns and places the ball into the bottom corner.

31 mins: Chance! Bywater, who's taken up a position on the right, swings a cross to the back post where Lee is waiting. The striker puts the ball wide however with the goal at his mercy.

29 mins: We're yet to see either team muster a meaningful effort on target but the Hammers will be happy with how they've improved after a difficult start.

27 mins: It's the Hammers' turn to enjoy a spell of possession as the back four knock it around comfortably.

25 mins: Page and Lletget combine down the left and the latter attempts to put over a cross from the touchline which is deflected and then cleared.

23 mins: Bywater again tries an in-swinging cross from the left but puts too much on it this time and Amos claims easily.

21 mins: Varela is bombing on from the right-back position and again tries to locate a teammate with a cross. He can't find one however and Potts clears to Petrucci who shoots straight at Spiegel.

19 mins: Petrucci takes the resulting free-kick and fires it towards the far post but narrowly misses the target.

18 mins: Chambers tries to turn out of trouble but instead turns into it as Janko nicks the ball off him. He brings the winger down and is lucky to escape a caution.

16 mins: A first shot for the visitors arrives from the boot of defender Chambers who fires well over as the ball breaks to him from Bywater's corner.

14 mins: Lletget wins a free-kick after a marauding run. Bywater swings it in looking for the back post but Amos is out to punch the ball clear.

12 mins: United probe for an opening as they pass the ball from side to side. A long pass intended for Lingard's run is over-hit and the Hammers can play out.

10 mins: The Hammers are having to withstand some heavy pressure as they're penned into their defensive third of the pitch. United very comfortable so far.

8 mins: Rothwell and Janko work a short corner setting Rothwell up for a shot from inside the box. Fortunately Potts is there with an important block.

6 mins: It's all United so far. The home side are dominating possession and the Hammers have yet to see the ball.

4 mins: Again United attack down the right with Varela this time going beyond Page and pulling a cross back. He looks for Lingard but Spiegel is at full stretch to gather the ball.

2 mins: A bright start from the home side as they look to attack down the right-hand side. Lingard looks to take on Page but has no success.

Kick-off: The referee blows his whistle and we're off at Old Trafford!

6:57pm: The players arrive to warm applause. They line-up either side of the half-way line ahead of the customary handshakes.

6:55pm: The subs and manager Nick Haycock take their seats in the dug-out as we await the players.

6:53pm: A beautiful night at a beautiful stadium, this should be a cracker! Just under ten minutes until kick-off now.

6:46pm: The Hammers, who will wear their white strip tonight, jog off to the changing rooms for their final pre-match preperations as a healthy crowd begins to build at Old Trafford.

6:35pm: With centre back Pelly Ruddock having departed for Luton Town in January, Leo Chambers and Dan Potts will form the heart of the defence. Chambers has missed a number of the U21s last few matches due to his first team involvement but his inclusion tonight will be a big boost for Nick Haycock's side as they look to shackle United's top scorer Jesse Lingard.

6:25pm: Both sets of players take to the pristine Old Trafford playing surface as they begin their pre-match routines. These surroundings are a marked improvement on the ones these players will be accustomed to in the U21 league and tonight they have the perfect stage to make an impression.

6:15pm: A win tonight will take the young Hammers up from fifth to third in the league table whilst their opponents are looking for the victory which would see them leapfrog the visitors to fifth.

Old Trafford is the setting for tonight's Barclays Under-21 Premier League match between the Development Squad and Manchester United. Nick Haycock's side arrive at 'The theatre of dreams' looking for their first win of 2014 having suffered successive league defeats to West Bromwich Albion and Fulham. Since the loss to the Cottagers on 20 January several of the team have secured loan moves with George Moncur and Paul McCallum heading north of the border to Partick Thistle and Heart of Midlothian respectively. Blair Turgott has returned from his month-long loan spell at Sky Bet League One side Rotherham United and takes his place on the bench.

There is also a young feel to the Hammers' line-up with Under-18 regulars Kyle Knoyle, Lewis Page and Kieran Bywater all making the starting XI. Elliot Lee will be hoping to rediscover the scoring touch at the ground where he made his West Ham United debut in a 1-0 FA Cup third round replay defeat to the Red Devils on 16 January 2013. The striker has six U21 league goals to his name so far, but has not netted since 29 November 2013 when the young Hammers drew 2-2 with Leicester City at Rush Green.

West Ham United: Spiegel, Knoyle, Page, Whitehead, Potts, Chambers, Bywater, Razak, Lee, Lletget, Fanimo
Subs: Makasi, Nemrava, Harney, Turgott, Maguire

Manchester United: Amos, Varela, James, Love, Keane, Pearson, Janko, Rothwell, Pereira, Petrucci, Lingard
Subs: Grimshaw, Gollini, Rowley, McNair, Willock