It is wholly unfair to hone in on Manchester United’s plethora of deficiencies on a day West Ham executed their game plan to perfection here at the London Stadium.

That said, it is what it is. How long can this go on for? How long can United be allowed to be so shambolic? Abysmal. Again. If you’re going to lose – go down fighting, go down swinging your arms and clenching your fists.

Not like this. Pitiful, weak and wretched. Whatever the Manchester United way is, then this isn’t it. A club rich in tradition, bursting with historic successes is on its knees.

From the attacking flair of George Best, Dennis Law, Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona to this. Three-hundred-and-eighty-one minutes without a goal – that’s over six hours of football. It’s a painful watch not in keeping the club’s legacies.

West Ham deserved their victory here. They were well-drilled, well-coached and had a plan. United were anything but. That is on Ten Hag.

Manchester United slumped to their eighth Premier League defeat of the season as David Moyes ‘ West Ham secured a 2-0 victory at the London stadium

United started brightly in the first half but quickly faded in the second against West Ham

David Moyes celebrated a third consecutive win for West Ham at the London Stadium

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus did the damage but that only tells half the story. This defeat, United’s 13th of a shambolic season, was largely self-inflicted by a lack of spirit and prowess in attack.

With Aston Villa up next, United will be fearing the worst. Ten Hag may point to mitigating circumstances, academy product Willy Kambwala became the 248th graduate of United’s youth set-up, the 19 year-old thrust into the heat of battle amid a central defensive selection crisis that left Erik ten Hag unable to pick Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof due to varying ailments.

But that would be a feeble excuse, indeed the teenager’s looked comfortable on his Premier League bow. That was true for both defences in fairness after a first half that won’t live long in the memory.

Scrappy, cagey – just down right mundane at times. There was plenty to admire about the intensity in West Ham’s play during their opening exchanges – but all without posing an attacking threat.

That was more than could be said for United who who were void of intensity or quality for the opening half hour. Their tempo was slow; so easy to read.

It took 33 minutes for United to conjure their first effort on goal, Antony’s tame curling effort from distance easily held by Alphonse Areola. And in fairness to Ten Hag’s team, they improved during the closing stages of the first-half.

Alejandro Garnacho squandered the best chance of the opening 45 minuets with just Areola to beat before the Hammers goalkeeper nearly gifted Kobbie Mainoo his first senior goal with some rather suspect work from the youngster’s weak shot just before the break.

The half’s end raised at least a degree of positivity for Ten Hag – but no more than that. Simon Hooper’s half-time whistle heralded a seventh consecutive half of football without a goal for United. That is sorry state of affairs.

Jarrod Bowen scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season after tapping in from close-range

Mohammed Kudus kept his positive run of form going with a strong finish in the second half

Rasmus Hojlund’s agonising wait for a first Premier League goal continued against the Hammers

MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS

West Ham (4-3-3): Areola 5.5, Coufal 7, Zouma 7, Mavropanos 6.5, Emerson 6.5; Soucek 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Alvarez 6.5; Paqueta 8, Bowen 7 (Fornals 88), Kudus 7 (Johnson 90). Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Keher, Mubama. Booked: Kudus, Paqueta

Moyes: 8

Man Utd (4-3-3): Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Kambawala (Reguilon 84), Evans, Shaw; Main, Fernandes, McTominay; Antony (Pellistri 73), Hojland (Rashford 57), Garnacho. Subs: Bayindir, Amrabat, Eriksen, Reguilon, Pellistri, Van de Beek, Mejbri, Bennett. Booked: Evans, Fernandes, Shaw.

Ten Hag: 4

Ref: Simon Cooper – 6

The travelling support, as always, were in good voice. Maintaining their spirits must be tiresome at the moment. On a brighter note, Kambwala eased himself nicely into senior football while fellow teenager Mainoo continued to defy logic in the heart of United’s midfield.

West Ham produced the first genuine opportunity after the restart, Andre Onana tipping Jarrod Bowen’s header over the bar after James Ward-Prowse’s pinpoint corner in the 56th minute.

Ten Hag introduced Marcus Rashford a minute later, the England international replacing Rasmus Hojland, who is yet to score a Premier League goal since arriving from Atalanta for £72million. There’s a player in Hojland. But being a centre-forward in this team has become a thankless task.

Kurt Zouma denied Garnacho a certain goal with a last-ditch block from Luke Shaw’s menacing low cross to the back-post where his Argentinian colleague was waiting in the 70th minute. Little did United know then that their world was about to cave in.

Inevitably it was Lucas Paqueta that unlocked the door, his delicately executed scooped ball into Bowen’s path had United’s defence flummoxed. There was a degree of fortune about Bowen’s finish, his initial effort saved by Onana only for the rebound to cannon back off the West Ham forward and into the back of the net.

Not that anyone in claret and blue cared about the manner of the goal. Moyes clenched his fists in euphoria.

18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo gave away possession cheaply in the build-up to West Ham’s second goal

Erik ten Hag looked stunned at full time as Man United’s troubles continued against West Ham

Ten Hag, hands in pockets, stood there stunned. It’s an image that has defined their season. No answers. Again. The Hammers’ second arrived 12 minutes from time. It’s unjust that Mainoo was the fall guy.

His mistake that led to Kudus’ goal was sloppy, but United’s problems run far deeper than a error from an 18-year-old kid who’d once more acquitted himself excellently. But as soon as Mainoo let Evans’ pass roll under his foot, United were done for.

Of course it was Paqueta that played the killer pass. What a player the Brazilian is. If he continues in this vein, West Ham should enjoy him while they can. Kudus’ finish was unerringly convincing, leaving Evans for dead before firing back across Onana.

The cameras panned to Mainoo, who cut a disconsolate figure. But this latest aberration isn’t on him. It’s on the senior players – and Ten Hag.