December 26, 2024

Manchester United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion: Premier League – as it happened

West Brom #WestBrom

4.57pm EST 16:57

That’s it for tonight – I’ll leave you with Jamie Jackson’s match report. Goodnight!

Bruno Fernandes hits the spot to ensure Manchester United sink West Brom

4.53pm EST 16:53

Full time: Man Utd 1-0 West Brom

Peep peep! Manchester United move up to ninth after a laboured victory over West Brom. As usual, it was all about VAR. West Brom were awarded a penalty which was controversially overturned on review; a few minutes later, Bruno Fernandes scored a twice-taken penalty at the other end. It’s United’s first league win at Old Trafford this season, but it was an underwhelming performance.

Updated at 4.54pm EST

4.50pm EST 16:50

90+2 min Martial is denied a goal by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from one of the West Brom defenders. I’m not sure who it was but well done them.

Darnell Furlong of West Bromwich Albion blocks a shot from Anthony Martial of Manchester United. Photograph: Ian Hodgson/NMC Pool

Updated at 5.24pm EST

4.46pm EST 16:46

88 min The match is petering out. If West Brom do equalise, United will regret their laziness in possession in the last 10-15 minutes. They’ve been playing at walking pace half the time. This has been a very odd game.

Updated at 4.47pm EST

4.43pm EST 16:43

85 min United’s last home win in the league was a thrilling 5-2 defeat of Bournemouth. It feels a long time ago, and not only because it was a long time ago.

Updated at 4.43pm EST

4.41pm EST 16:41

83 min United make their final change. Scott McTominay, penalty king, comes on for Fred.

4.39pm EST 16:39

80 min “The West Bromwich body language,” says Ian Copestake, “seems to reflect an absence of the will to live.”

Ian, what have I told you about projecting.

4.37pm EST 16:37

79 min West Brom make their final change – Filip Krovinovic replaces Branislav Ivanovic. And Manchester United bring on Donny van de Beek for Marcus Rashford.

4.36pm EST 16:36

78 min Some 1-0s feel safer than others. This is somewhere in the middle. A West Brom goal wouldn’t be a shock, but it would be against the run of play.

4.35pm EST 16:35

77 min Fernandes and Telles try the old Beckham/Scholes corner. Fernandes angles the ball back to Telles, who blooters a volley over the bar.

4.34pm EST 16:34

76 min Fernandes drives a beautiful pass over the defence towards Rashford, but his first touch is poor and the ball runs away from goal. Gallagher was booked for a foul on Fred just before that.

West Bromwich Albion’s Conor Gallagher (left) is tackled by Manchester United’s Fred. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 4.43pm EST

4.33pm EST 16:33

75 min After a good move from United, Bruno Fernandes’s first-time shot from the edge of the area is blocked.

4.32pm EST 16:32

74 min Conor Gallagher, on loan from Chelsea, has had a fine game in midfield for West Brom. He’s only 20 and could become a really good player.

Updated at 4.32pm EST

4.30pm EST 16:30

72 min Bartley blocks another Cavani shot, this time after a nice through pass from Fernandes.

4.29pm EST 16:29

71 min Fernandes’s corner is flicked on by Cavani and comes to Maguire at the far post. He drags a shot into the ground that bounces up and is palmed away by Johnstone. That was a more comfortable save for him, though still a decent one.

4.28pm EST 16:28

70 min Martial crosses low to Cavani, whose first-time shot is well blocked by Bartley.

4.25pm EST 16:25

67 min: Johnstone makes another brilliant save! He’s having a blinder against his old club. Fernandes’s low ball across the area reached Rashford at the far post, six yards out. He dummied to shoot and then sidefooted the ball back across goal. It looked certain to go in, but Johnstone flew to his left to make an outstanding reaction save.

Sam Johnstone of West Bromwich Albion saves from Marcus Rashford of Manchester United . Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Updated at 5.14pm EST

4.24pm EST 16:24

66 min “I would love it,” says Ian Copestake, “if a ref stopped Fernandes doing his penalty hop citing ungentlemanly conduct and human rights violations.”

4.23pm EST 16:23

65 min: Robinson hits the bar with a glorious effort! Oh my. Robson-Kanu lost three players on the halfway line with a Cruyff turn (hello Belgium) and found Gallagher on the left. He gave the ball to Robinson, who whipped an extravagant curling shot from the edge of the area that beat de Gea and clattered off the bar. I think those were Robinson’s first touches of the game.

4.21pm EST 16:21

63 min “I don’t understand why that penalty against Fernandes was overturned,” says J.R. in Illinois. “Did they think there was no contact? Or did they think he got some of the ball first? As opposed to the call in the Villa game where Solly March clearly got the ball before making slight contact, the only thing I saw Fernandes make contact with was Gallagher’s shin. And though I can’t prove it, I’m not just saying that because I’m a West Brom fan. Totally bogus, man.”

He touched the ball first – only slightly, but there was a touch before he followed through into Gallagher. Whether that’s enough to overturn the decision… I haven’t a clue anymore.

4.20pm EST 16:20

62 min And United bring on Edinson Cavani for Juan Mata. Martial moves to the left and Rashford to the right.

4.20pm EST 16:20

62 min Both teams are going to make a substitution. West Brom first: Hal Robson-Kanu and Callum Robinson replace Grady Diangana and Karlan Grant.

4.17pm EST 16:17

58 min That’s twice this season that Fernandes has missed a penalty and then scored the retake. The same thing happened at PSG in the Champions League.

4.16pm EST 16:16

57 min West Brom will feel pretty aggrieved, and you can understand why. The decision against Furlong was correct under the new interpretation of the handball law, but that interpretation is horse pucky.

4.14pm EST 16:14

GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 West Brom (Fernandes 56 pen)

Fernandes scores this time, sidefooting the ball high to his left. Johnstone went the right way but couldn’t reach it.

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United retakes his penalty. .. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images And he fires it home. Photograph: Ian Hodgson/NMC Pool West Bromwich Albion manager Slaven Bilic is frustrated. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/NMC Pool/Reuters

Updated at 4.59pm EST

4.13pm EST 16:13

FERNANDES’ PENALTY IS SAVED – BUT IT WILL BE RETAKEN!

54 min Fernandes did his usual skip but Johnstone went the right way, to his left, and pushed it away. It was a brilliant stop – but replays showed that he was off his line when the kick was taken.

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone saves the penalty attempt from Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Images West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (centre) reacts after saving Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes’ penalty before it is ordered to be retaken. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/NMC Pool/PA Images

Updated at 4.30pm EST

4.11pm EST 16:11

54 min Furlong’s hand was away from his body, though he wasn’t even looking at the ball. It’s being checked by VAR. I doubt this will be overturned.

4.11pm EST 16:11

53 min: Penalty to United! This one is for handball against Furlong.

4.10pm EST 16:10

52 min: Good save by de Gea! West Brom have been the better team since half-time. A right-wing cross found its way through to Townsend beyond the far post. He controlled the ball on the chest and hit a low drive that was brilliantly saved with his legs by de Gea.

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea (right) saves from West Bromwich Albion’s Conor Townsend. Photograph: Martin Rickett/NMC Pool/Reuters

Updated at 5.02pm EST

4.07pm EST 16:07

49 min Rashford’s wobbling long-range strike is palmed round acrobatically by Johnstone.

4.06pm EST 16:06

No penalty! On BT Sport, Glenn Hoddle and Peter Walton both think the decision should not have been overturned – Hoddle thought it was a foul, Walton thought it wasn’t a clear and obvious error. I can see both sides!

Updated at 4.09pm EST

4.05pm EST 16:05

The referee David Coote is going across to look at the monitor. This is very similar to the one that was overturned in the Villa game this afternoon.

Updated at 4.05pm EST

4.05pm EST 16:05

Bruno Fernandes has been penalised for a tackle on Conor Gallagher. I thought he got the ball, and it’s being checked by VAR.

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes appeals to referee David Coote after a penalty was awarded for his foul on West Bromwich Albion’s Conor Gallagher . Photograph: Catherine Ivill/NMC Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 4.15pm EST

4.03pm EST 16:03

46 min Peep peep! West Brom begin the second half. If they’re not very careful, they could end up winning this game.

3.49pm EST 15:49

“Evening Rob,” says Neil Carter. “No BT Sport so following the blog whilst watching Strictly (whilst keeping an eye on the Strictly blog). Saturdays are strange these days mate, much like a Manchester United home performance. My God it’s tedious. I literally don’t know what to say any more other than this doesn’t surprise me at all [pours another G&T].”

The one thing I don’t understand about games like these is the absence of van de Beek.

Updated at 3.53pm EST

3.47pm EST 15:47

Half time: Man Utd 0-0 West Brom

Peep peep! Another 45 minutes of frustration for Manchester United. Sam Johnstone made one outstanding save and one decent one, both from Anthony Martial, but that aside United struggled against a dogged West Brom defence. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

3.43pm EST 15:43

42 min: Chance for Bartley! Gallagher’s inswinging corner is headed onto the roof of the net by Bartley. It was a really clever effort – he was facing away from goal, under pressure from Maguire, so he improvised a backheader that almost sneaked in the net. United fans have seen that one before.

The Joy of Six: unique goals | Rob Smyth

Kyle Bartley of West Bromwich Albion (second left) heads at goal. Photograph: Ian Hodgson/NMC Pool Bartley (second left) sees his header just go over the bar. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images Bartley reacts after his close effort. Photograph: Martin Rickett/Reuters

Updated at 4.47pm EST

3.42pm EST 15:42

41 min The confident Gallagher does well to find Diangana on the edge of the area. His shot hits Wan-Bissaka and deflects behind for a corner.

3.41pm EST 15:41

40 min West Brom are really well organised defensively. They are limited, we know that, but their spirit is admirable. I don’t think they’re nailed on to be relegated.

3.40pm EST 15:40

39 min “Looking through all the old Twin Peaks vids now,” says Bill Hargreaves. “That’s happening again. Seemingly wide open league this year. Please that’s being returned to, too.”

I think Liverpool will retain the title it at a canter, though I would love Jose Mourinho to win it and turn his acceptance speech into a breathless five-hour score-settler.

3.38pm EST 15:38

38 min Telles threatens to get round the back for the first time in the match, but Ajayi recovers well and forces him away from goal.

3.37pm EST 15:37

36 min Fernandes’s corner flashes across the face of goal and eventually reaches Maguire, whose stinging volley flattens Kyle Bartley. It hit him straight in the coupon. I think Maguire’s shot was going in, although there was probably a push from Maguire on Ivanovic just beforehand.

Kyle Bartley of West Bromwich Albion is hit in the face by a shot from Harry Maguire of Manchester United. Photograph: Bradley Ormesher/NMC Pool

Updated at 4.53pm EST

3.35pm EST 15:35

34 min It’s now five hours since United scored a league goal at Old Trafford. In that time they also beat Leipzig 5-0 in the Champions League. I have no idea.

Leave a Reply