What West Ham staff member said at half-time should worry Manchester United after another defeat

The West Ham fans asked a pertinent question of Manchester United: "How s**t must you be?" United are so bad they were 17th in the Premier League table at one stage in the first half.

They rose to 16th thanks to Tottenham, predictably beaten by Crystal Palace on their own patch. The Europa League finalists are also battling to outdo each other for the worst team not to be relegated from the top flight. "If you beat Spurs, you're not all c***s," is just about the nicest thing West Ham's away-dayers have ever said to United.

A West Ham staff member said to a colleague at half-time, "If we win, we'll rinse this." West Ham had won four games on the road all season and they have left Old Trafford with three points for the first time since 2007. They had not won in nearly three months. Yet United are winless in the league in two months.

West Ham are above United in the table now. United's numbers are worth outlining in black and white for anyone prepared to cut this United squad any slack: played 36, won 10, drawn nine, lost 17 and with a -11 goal difference. United last lost 17 league games in a single season in 1973-74. Ie. the relegation season. Their goal difference was actually better under Tommy Docherty's doomed squad.

West Ham's followers chided Rasmus Hojlund with a chorus of "F*****g useless". That could have applied to the entire United side. They had signings purchased for £72million, £60m, £58m and £67m in their starting XI. United discovered years ago it is not about quantity but quality.

United could realistically lose half of their 38 league fixtures. Chelsea and Aston Villa, their remaining opponents, are in pressing need of points in the attempt to qualify for the Champions League. The latter is four days