Rúben Amorim will need to warn two of his Manchester United stars about a possible suspension, as the Premier League confirms the match officials for West Ham.
Manchester United’s recent resurgence in form was reflected in their spirited 2–1 comeback win away to Crystal Palace.
After a disjointed first half left Rúben Amorim’s side trailing at the break, flashes of brilliance from Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount, and Bruno Fernandes turned the momentum and secured all three points.
The victory was a landmark one, ending a near three-year wait for a league win in London against opposition other than Fulham. United now shift focus back to Old Trafford, where they welcome West Ham on Thursday evening.
With Champions League qualification firmly in their sights, the Reds continue their upward push up the table. West Ham, meanwhile, are fighting at the opposite end, currently level on points with 18th-placed Leeds United and outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Amorim will be hoping the response shown against Palace proves to be a turning point, helping to banish memories of the Everton defeat and spark a sustained run of results as the busy festive schedule approaches.
United vs West Ham officials confirmed
Andrew Kitchen (pictured above) will be the referee on Thursday evening in Manchester. Kitchen has officiated two Premier League fixtures this season, two Carabao Cup fixtures, and ten in the Championship.
Kitchen has never officiated United’s senior men’s team, but once took charge of two U21 fixtures – a 4-0 win over Newcastle in August 2019, and a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in December 2020.
This season, Kitchen has issued seven yellow cards in the Premier League and 38 across all competitions. He has issued one red card via two bookings this season and awarded two penalties, both of which came in the Championship.
During the game, Dan Cook and Ian Hussin will serve as Kitchen’s assistant referees. Michael Salisbury will be the fourth official on Thursday evening, separating Amorim and Nuno Espírito Santo.
Peter Bankes Donohue has been appointed as the Video Assistant Referee. Eddie Smart will act as assistant VAR.
Paqueta suspended but United must be careful
On Sunday afternoon, West Ham fell to their latest loss with a 2-0 defeat at home against a struggling Liverpool side. During the tie, creative midfielder Lucas Paqueta was shown a yellow card for arguing with the official, but he did not stop and was then sent off for further dissent.
His red card means he will be suspended for the fixture at Old Trafford on Thursday, but United themselves have a few possible suspension worries.
Both Casemiro and Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu are on four yellow cards each this season. If either of them gets another ebfroe the halfway mark of the campaign, they will be handed a one-match ban, as per Premier League rules.
The rest of United’s squad have been disciplined. Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo are on two for the season in the league, while Benjamin Šeško, Luke Shaw, and Noussair Mazraoui are on one each, with no other players shown a card.
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