It must make a welcome change for the West Ham supporters who actually have a range of options to choose from when picking their Man of the Match for Thursday’s 1-1 draw away to Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United.

In their previous two outings, it has really been a case of Alphonse Areola or no-one.

This time, as West Ham United made it two Old Trafford visits without defeat, that their in-form goalkeeper had comparatively little to do owed much to the excellence of those ahead of him in gleaming white.

Gary Neville watched a much ‘improved’ Aaron Wan-Bissaka with awe. Exceptional on his return to Manchester United, the former Red Devils right-back has come on leaps and bounds both in and out of possession since making that £15 million switch to East London.

The revitalised Jean-Clair Todibo was impressive again, up against the side who might have signed him if not for UEFA legislation.

But for Ruben Amorim, a typically all-action, spirited Mateus Fernandes performance meant this was the second time he was left frustrated regarding the Portugal Under-21 captain.

Ruben Amorim explains how West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes caused Manchester United issues

Amorim was disappointed when Sporting Lisbon sold Fernandes to Southampton in a £15 million deal during the summer of 2024.

The under-fire Manchester United coach handed Fernandes his senior debut two years previously. But with Sporting needing to sell and Amorim determined to hang onto Morten Hjulmand, Goncalo Inacio and Viktor Gyokeres, the sale of such a promising young talent would become a very necessary evil.

Coach and player were reunited at Old Trafford on Thursday night, albeit with very different goals in mind.

And, speaking following a second successive home match without victory, Amorim admitted that his sluggish, staggeringly slack Man United side really struggled with the mobility of both Fernandes and a much-improved Jarrod Bowen.

How far can Mateus Fernandes go at West Ham? And what is his best position?

Most chances created by Hammers players this season…

• Mateus Fernandes, 16
• Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen, 14
• James Ward-Prowse, 12
• El Hadji Malick Diouf, 8
• Niclas Fullkrug, 7
• Freddie Potts, 5
• Crysencio Summerville and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 3

“[The performance] was not constant,” Amorim told Sky Sports. “We had good moments and we lost control a little bit in the first half and a little bit in the second half after the goal [from Diogo Dalot on 58 minutes].

“We should have closed the game when we scored the first one. The game was in control. We knew it. Let’s defend far from the box. We knew set pieces would be a problem with the difference in height in the team but we could do it. We could maintain the ball after the first goal and again we lost two points.”

“[We really struggled with] just losing second balls and when they kick the ball long. Mateus [Fernandes] running with the ball. They win the first ball, and then Bowen was making the runs. You can’t control that kind of game.

“We should be better with the ball after the first goal.”

West Ham outnumbered Man United as Soungoutou Magassa opens his account

Mateus Fernandes was always going to be very important for West Ham’s hopes of avoiding defeat at a stadium where they have only tasted victory once since Carlos Tevez’s final day heroics in 2007.

He tops the Hammers charts when it comes to chances created and tackles won, after all.

Soungoutou Magassa arrives! How would you sum up the Frenchman’s performance at Old Trafford?

And up against a geriatric central midfield pairing of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, Fernandes’ ability to pick up the ball from deep and drive through the thirds inevitably caused the hosts plenty of headaches. It is not as if Amorim, as stubborn as they come in managerial terms, was ever going to change his system to stick an extra body in the middle of the park either.

As such, a trio of Fernandes, Magassa and Freddie Potts had plenty of joy against an ageing, outnumbered United midfield.

Nuno Espirito Santo hails a revitalised Jarrod Bowen

At full-time, Nuno made a ‘special mention’ of Jarrod Bowen. The captain has come under fire of late, but this was much more like it.

“I think all the game, all the game, we should be really proud of the boys, they worked really hard to contain Man United,” Nuno told Sky Sports.

“At the same time we went for the game and the boys worked really hard so we have to be glad.

“I was very, very happy (to equalise) when you see the ball go inside [the goal], very happy. Because I think we were on top of the game at that moment and we had the momentum of that situation.

“I’m very pleased with the work of Jarrod, we are happy to have him as a captain, he leads by example, he did an amazing game today.”