Manchester U 5 West Ham 1
Manchester United 5 West Ham United 1, Old Trafford, English Football League First Division, October 13, 1984. After losing their first League Division One match of the 1984-85 campaign away to Aston Villa, Manchester United outclassed West Ham United at home a week later. Gordon McQueen opened the scoring account for The Reds after 26 minutes before Alan Brazil, Gordon Strachan, Mark Hughes, and Remi Moses added a goal each to give the hosts a comprehensive 5-1 win over The Hammers.
Manchester United had been held to a goalless draw by West Ham United at Old Trafford in the corresponding fixture of the 1983-84 season and were eager to win this game. Gordon McQueen, who made his first senior appearance since a tough-fought 1-1 draw against old adversaries Liverpool at Anfield on the 2nd of January 1984, hit the opener when the massive defender found the back of the net with a left-foot strike from the inside of the penalty the area in the 26th minute of the fixture, and just seven minutes later former Tottenham Hotspur marksman Alan Brazil recorded his first Football League goal for Manchester United after a brilliant individual dribble. In the second frame, Ron Atkinson´s boys increased their lead as Gordon Strachan hammered home an excellent cross by Danish winger Jesper Olsen from close range in the 50th minute before fellow midfielder Remi Moses stretched the advantage to four goals with a devastating long range shot three minutes past the hour mark. Manchester United carried on going forward and they had their third goal in the 76th minute when a Strachan corner was flicked on by central defender Graeme Hogg for Welsh international Mark Hughes whose fierce header flew past West Ham shot stopper Tom McAlister and into the net. The East London outfit eventually had their consolation through a late goal from ex-Queens Park Rangers striker Paul Goddard who managed to beat home netminder Gary Bailey with five minutes left on the watch.
In First Division matches elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur overcame reigning football League Champions Liverpool by a 1-0 score at White Hart Lane thanks to a first half goal from Garth Crooks, Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers drew 1-1 at Portman Road, West Bromwich Albion defeated Nottingham Forest 4-1 at The Hawthorns, Coventry City and Newcastle United shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road, Arsenal beat Leicester City 4-1 at Filbert Street, Sheffield Wednesday edged out Luton Town 2-1 at Kenilworth Road, Norwich City went down 2-1 to Sunderland at Roker Park, Chelsea lost 3-2 to Watford at Stamford Bridge, Stoke City suffered a 3-1 defeat against Southampton at Victoria Ground, and Everton emerged 2-1 winners over Aston Villa at Goodison Park where Graeme Sharp and Adrian Heath scored the goals for The Toffees. Following the 5-1 victory over West Ham United, Manchester United were now fourth in the table with seventeen points won from ten games. Manchester United Team: Gary Bailey, Graeme Hogg, Gordon McQueen, Mike Duxbury, Arthur Albiston, Remi Moses, Jesper Olsen, Bryan Robson, Gordon Strachan, Alan Brazil, Mark Hughes. Substitutes: None. West Ham United Team: Tom McAlister, Ray Stewart, Steve Walford, Tony Gale, Alvin Martin, Billy Bonds, Geoff Pike, Paul Allen, Steve Whitton, Tony Cottee, Paul Goddard. Substitutes: None.
Alan Brazil Quickfacts
Alan Brazil contributed 70 First Division goals in 154 appearances for Ipwich Town before he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £425,000 at the back end of the 1982-83 campaign.
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