Advertisement
Martin Rickett
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: West Brom v Manchester United, Premier League

We were at The Hawthorns to see if Louis Van Gaal’s side could get into the top four with victory earlier tonight.

WELCOME TO THE Hawthorns. Manchester United could get back into fourth place in the Premier League table with a victory tonight. And the history books suggest they’ll get goals - scoring at least two in each of their last 10 league visits to this ground. 

As always, we’d love to hear from you. Email eoin@thescore.ie, tweet us, leave a message on our Facebook page or have your say at in the comments section the bottom of the page. 

Good evening folks. This promises to be an entertaining clash with plenty of goalmouth action but Falcao doesn’t start for the guests this evening. He has to make do with a place on the bench. Here’s how the teams line-up tonight…

West Brom: Myhill, Wisdom, Lescott, Dawson, Pocognoli, Gardner, Brunt, Morrison, Dorrans, Sessegnon, Berahino.

Subs: Daniels, Gamboa, McAuley, Mulumbu, Blanco, Ideye, Anichebe.

Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw, Blind, Herrera, Januzaj, Mata, Di Maria, van Persie.

Subs: Lindegaard, Smalling, Carrick, Fellaini, Fletcher, Young, Falcao.

We’ve got some time before kick-off so why don’t you check out this retrospective on the 2013 meeting between these sides? Yes, the game that ended 5-5 and the game that marked the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in charge. Lots of problems cropped up on that afternoon but they’d been there for a while already…

Teams are in the tunnel. Close to getting underway here…

Stat attack: United have never lost at West Brom in the Premier League…Could that change tonight?

The ground sounds absolutely electric as the teams kick-off. Here we go! Game on!

1 min - Good early pressure from West Brom with Sessegnon showing good pace down the right side. The pull-back eventually leads to a shot from distance but United charge it down and clear their lines.

Good stuff from West Brom in the opening exchanges. Some nice touches on both flanks and trying to get in behind.

Early wayward cross-field pass from Di Maria and that gets the crowd going. He’s been superb since arriving from Real Madrid, hasn’t he?

8 mins – GOAL! Sessegnon! 

Wow. What a strike that is. We were just talking about West Brom trying to stretch things and get in behind United and they’ve just done that again. Wisdom charges down the right side – pulls a ball back towards Sessegnon on the edge of the area and he turns on it to sweep the ball to the top corner. Magnificent hit. United rocking early on here.

10 mins – VERY CLOSE! United respond instantly as Di Maria slips in a terrific pass for Van Persie who takes it first time and tries to squeeze it inside Myhill’s near post but the keeper gets down well and pushes it away for a corner. Great pass by the Argentine.

Here’s the Sessegnon opener – a great player on his day. When you see something like this, you’d only wish he was much more consistent.

Berahino is creating havoc for West Brom – Rojo certainly doesn’t look too sure of himself. But at the other end, the Baggies are allowing Di Maria far too much room. He’s sending in some teasing crosses and it’s surely only a matter of time before he finds the perfect assist…

19 mins – CLOSE! The strategy for United is pretty clear – get willing runners in behind the West Brom defence and try to pick them out with the perfect pass. Earlier, Van Persie got on the end of a Di Maria ball but this time, the Argentine is played in over the top. He brings it down, it’s on his left foot as he swivels, but Myhill gets down to it and stretches to gather in the far corner.

24 mins – CLOSE! WBA are playing very well here. Dorrans is played through wide on the right and sends in a teasing cross towards Berahino at the far post. He just can’t quite stretch far enough and the guests are afforded a major let-off. West Brom good value for their lead here.

27 mins – CLOSE! It’s United’s turn to cause some problems and Van Persie picks it up in the right channel, Mata is inside and awaiting the cut-back but West Brom get back and snuff out the chance.

31 mins – CLOSE! Di Maria pops up on the edge of the area and drives a shot towards goal – it’s central but moving a little bit and Myhill gets behind it and beats it away.

38 mins – VERY CLOSE! Joleon Lescott is fortunate here. Van Persie makes a run behind him in the right channel and the centre-back is pointing at his goalkeeper as the Dutchman picks his pocket right on the touchline. He has to cut inside to try and make a better angle – when he gets the shot in, it’s blocked. West Brom living dangerously.

Di Maria has been a stand-out again tonight.

43 mins – Decent position for West Brom after Morrison is fouled on the left side. When the delivery is whipped in, Lescott is one-v-one with Rojo, easily gets above him but the header is way over the top. Not a bad chance on second viewing.

And that’s half-time.

West Brom in front thanks to a superb strike from Sessegnon after just 8 minutes. United have offered something but not much – Di Maria again their star man. Van Persie saw a near-post effort saved by Myhill while Di Maria’s shot from distance was easily dealt with by the keeper. Apart from that, it’s been pretty tame from the visitors and looks certain that Falcao will be introduced sooner rather than later.

Gary Neville ‘not having’ United’s approach in the first half. For him, they gave West Brom far too much respect in the first few minutes. He feels they dropped off, didn’t attack the ball and allowed the Baggies to come out with the ball and get men in behind to take on United in the channels.

46 mins – SUBSTITUTION! Fellaini (on) – Herrera (off)

One change for the second half for United. Fellaini got a talking to from Van Gaal during the first period – this must have been the reason. Will be interesting to see what the Belgian can offer here.

48 mins – GOAL! Fellaini!

No, that is not a mistake. Marouane Fellaini has scored for Manchester United! And it’s an absolute beauty. A cross from the left side comes to him at the far post – looks like he nudges a West Brom defender before taking it on his chest, evades one challenge in the right of the area and thumps a glorious strike to the roof of Myhill’s near post. Stunning!

What a way to get your first (competitive) goal for the club!

It’s been a superb start to the second half for United – quick tempo, Di Maria has been sending in some more brilliant crosses and they have more height there now Fellaini. Speaking of…#bantz

57 mins – CLOSE! Rafael and Januzaj combine well down the right with the Belgian releasing the Brazilian – his low cross zips right across the six yard area but there’s no red shirt there to slide it home.

Excellent use of the term ‘devilment’ here.

63 mins - Berahino gets clipped by Jones as he turns in the area. If he goes down, it’s a very good shout for a penalty. But he stays on his feet and gets nothing.

66 mins – GOAL! Berahino!

Against the run of play, West Brom are back in front. United’s defence goes walkabout as Brunt plays a pass right through the middle for Berahino to run onto. The youngster sizes up the situation and calmly slots it to the far corner. Took it really well. And United’s good work in this second half undone in an instant.

Here’s West Brom’s second – just what Phil Jones is doing is beyond me.

72 mins – SUBSTITUTION! Falcao (on) – Mata (off)

It was inevitable. The striker is on to try and rescue something for United here.

74 mins – OFF THE POST! 

Di Maria tries to pick out Falcao with a ball over the top. A West Brom player beats him in the air but the clearance drops for Van Persie. He takes one touch to tee up the strike and crashes a right-footed volley towards goal. It catches the inside of the post and bounces out. On the rebound, Januzaj blazes well over. Still goals here for United but they’ve been disappointing here, really.

76 mins – SUBSTITUTION! Young (on) – Di Maria (off)

Looks like the Argentine has a dead leg and he’s replaced by a much-maligned figure at the club. But we’ve already seen a similar personality crop up with a goal so can Young do likewise here?

This is every bloke at a 5-a-side when there’s nothing left to do but…shout.

It’s all fizzled out a bit for United here. Despite Falcao and Van Persie, they haven’t had a chance of note for a while. If it stays like this, West Brom are up to 9th and United stay in 6th.

87 mins – GOAL! BLIND!

Well, they do find something! Just when it seemed the game was away from them, the Dutchman steps up and steers a superb left-footed drive just inside Myhill’s near post. He knew exactly what he was doing, carefully side-footing it home and now, United will rally hard for the last seven or eight minutes.

Here’s Blind’s equaliser – a really nice strike. Brace yourselves!

FULL-TIME! 2-2! 

Well, United have got out of jail here. West Brom looked to have won it through Berahino but credit to the visitors – they did find something from nothing. The defence still looks wobbly but they do possess some terrific fire-power and Angel di Maria looks to have been a superb signing. However, he was forced off with injury so it’ll be worth keeping an eye on how that develops. Fellaini finally delivered when it mattered but for other senior players, like Van Persie and Mata, it was another evening of relative anonymity.

After the 2-2 draw, United remain in 6th place while West Brom are in 14th.

Thanks for staying with us. Plenty more reaction still to come on the site.

11 of the most humiliating defeats in Premier League history

Ronaldo ’100% certain’ not to rejoin Manchester United – Ancelotti

Your Voice
Readers Comments
44
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.