- Norwegian Hammer Havard Nordtveit said West Ham were always facing a tough challenge with ten men against Manchester United
- The hosts were beaten 2-0 by Jose Mourinho’s outfit on Monday evening
- Sofiane Feghouli’s first half red card meant Slaven Bilic’s side were up against it for 75 minutes at London Stadium
Havard Nordtveit admitted the Hammers were always facing an uphill task against Manchester United on Monday evening after they were reduced to ten men early in the first half.
Sofiane Feghouli received his marching orders from referee Mike Dean after just 15 minutes at London Stadium following his challenge on Phil Jones after a loose touch allowed the ball to slip away.
And despite Slaven Bilic’s side going into the break level, goals from Juan Mata and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the second half meant the Red Devils would be heading home with three points in the bag after a 2-0 victory.
Nordtveit, who was making his third consecutive start in claret and blue, was, like every Hammer at London Stadium, left frustrated after the final whistle.
“After such a game, it’s always hard,” he said. “We worked hard and after ten or 15 minutes we were quite good in the game. We had good combinations and some decent chances.
“But when Feghouli got sent off, of course it was always going to be hard against a team like Manchester United. We know that eleven vs. eleven is a tough game against Man United and when we get a man sent off, it’s hard at home against such a team.
It was always going to be hard against a team like Manchester United. We know that eleven vs. eleven is a tough game against them so when we get a man sent off, it’s hard
Havard Nordtveit
“But it’s part of football. We made the best out of it and we were more defensive, trying to use counter attacks and set-pieces. We also had a few chances, like Antonio who had a good chance.
“It could have gone both ways in my eyes but of course when they scored it was tough to come back.”
The visitors broke the deadlock just after the half hour mark, when two substitutes combined in Marcus Rashford and Mata, with the latter finishing with aplomb past Darren Randolph.
Nordtveit had the unenviable task of looking after Rashford on the Hammers’ right hand side, with the winger fresh having only played 18 minutes at the end of the Red Devils’ New Years’ Eve clash against Middlesbrough.
“Rashford of course is a quick guy,” the Norwegian said. “Of course I’m not complaining or blaming [the result] on the fact that we played two days ago.
“But it was always going to be hard against Man United when we have a man sent off.
“In a way, we fought well during the game when we were one down and we would have loved it if we had got one point or maybe three from the game.”