Manchester United are set to host West Ham, with Ruben Amorim’s team aiming for back-to-back Premier League victories
Jake Bayliss Sport Writer – U35s
06:00, 04 Dec 2025
JJ Gabriel has been starring for Manchester United’s academy(Image: Poppy Townson – MUFC, Manchester United via Getty Images)
Manchester United are gearing up to take on West Ham United at Old Trafford, aiming to build on their 2-1 away victory over Crystal Palace. Ruben Amorim will be eager for his side to rebuild momentum, having recently overseen a five-game unbeaten streak.
United found themselves trailing at half-time in south London due to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty, but they rallied after the break. Goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount ensured United recovered from their home defeat by Everton the previous week.
Amorim has confirmed that Matheus Cunha is back in the running to face the Hammers on Thursday evening, although there are a couple of fitness concerns within his squad. Here, MEN Sport examines some of the key talking points surrounding United.
JJ Gabriel transfer stance
Manchester United are confident of keeping academy star JJ Gabriel, despite interest from Barcelona. The highly-rated 15-year-old caught the eye after scoring a hat-trick for United’s U18 side at the weekend, taking his tally to 10 goals in as many matches this season.
Gabriel recently came to wider attention following his starring role in United’s 7-0 win over Liverpool U18s. Barcelona have previously invited Gabriel and his family to visit the Camp Nou.
The United prospect has also met Barcelona first-team players and toured the club’s facilities. However, United are determined to overcome the Catalan club’s long-term interest in the England U16 international.
Gabriel recently scored a hat-trick against Liverpool U18s(Image: Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
United’s manager Amorim, who has already included Gabriel in first team training, shared his thoughts on the young player: “Like everyone, I know he is a really talented guy and everyone paid attention on social media. You could see the U21s had a game and we had less players and tried to pick players for training that have talent.
“Not just for me to see for tomorrow but for them to feel what it means to be in the first team, the difficulties playing against our defenders, the difficulty of our training, the pace. If we can use every training we have to show the kids what they need to do to be here, it is important, not just for JJ but for everyone.”
Scott McTominay message
Scott McTominay has insisted he has no regrets about his decision to leave Manchester United. The 28-year-old moved to Napoli last summer and had a stellar season, helping the club secure the Serie A title.
The Sun reported that upon being awarded Serie A Player of the Year at the Gran Gala del Calcio awards, McTominay stated: “Coming to Napoli was an easy choice, I came to the right place.”
Scott McTominay has scored 18 goals in 53 games for Napoli(Image: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
McTominay made 255 appearances for his boyhood club. However, leaving United has provided the Scotland international with a fresh start and he has enjoyed remarkable success in Italy.
He added: “It’s sensational, it’s incredible to be here and win this award. Thank you to everyone, the team, the staff, and my teammates. My bond with Napoli is special, there are so many special places here.”
McTominay was previously named Serie A MVP at the end of last season. On the international stage, the midfielder scored in Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark last month to secure his country’s place at the 2026 World Cup.
