Storybook farewell to Upton Park as West Ham stun Man United

West Ham 3 Manchester United 2: A night that began with the Manchester United players sheltering on the floor of the team bus as the vehicle was attacked by bottles and other missiles on its way to the Boleyn Ground ended with Louis Van Gaal’s side crestfallen at having lost control of the race to finish fourth.

Having been handed teh chance to move ahead of Manchester City following their neighbours’s failure to beat Arsenal on Sunday, Van Gaal’s team recovered after falling behind to Diafra Sakho’s opening goal with Anthony Martial’s two goals, only to pay the price for woeful defending that allowed Michail Antonio and Winston Reid to ensure West Ham signed off from Upton Park having strengthened their bid to claim a place in the Europa League.

The Hammers’ intention had been to stage a memorable farewell to their home of 112 years ahead of next season’s move to the Olympic stadium but events before kick-off drew attention for all the wrong reasons. The visitors coach arrived, in the words of Wayne Rooney, “smashed up” and with broken windows while police horses were used to clear the congested areas around the ground.