|
MANCHESTER UNITED v WEST BROMWICH
ALBION
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 7th November 2015,
3:00pm
Old Trafford
MATCH
NOTES
The game will be the 127th league and cup meeting between Albion and United. The
men from Manchester currently lead the way in the victory stakes with 53 wins to
the Baggies' 42.
There have been 18 previous Premier League meetings
with United winning 12 times and Albion just twice.
The Baggies have won just three of the last 25
league games between the sides although two of those victories came on the
clubs' last two visits to Old Trafford.
Albion last played a game on November 7 in 2010 when
they suffered a 2-0 Premier League defeat at home to Manchester City, Mario
Balotelli scoring both City goals. The Baggies' last win on this date came in
2009 when goals from Graham Dorrans and Gonzalo Jara guided Roberto Di Matteo's
side to a 2-1 win against Leicester City in a Championship clash at the Walkers
Stadium.
United's last game on this date came in 2012 when
goals from Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez saw them win 3-1
away at Braga in the Champions League.
Albion last claimed three
successive league wins at Old Trafford between 1958 and 1959: 4-0 (1957/58), 2-1
(1958/59) and 3-2 (1959/60).
Chris Brunt will make his 300th Albion appearance
if he plays a part in the game.
If he features in the game, James Morrison will
make his 200th Premier League appearance for the Baggies, becoming the second
Albion player to reach that milestone - Chris Brunt playing his 200th game last
week.
Albion's
last six games: Leicester City (H) 2-3;
Norwich City (A) 1-0;
Sunderland (H) 1-0; Crystal
Palace (A) 0-2; Everton (H) 2-3; Norwich City (A, LC) 0-3.
United's last six games: CSKA Moscow (H, CL) 1-0;
Crystal Palace (A) 0-0; Middlesbrough (H, LC) 0-0 (3-1 on pens); Manchester City
(H) 0-0; CSKA Moscow (A, CL) 1-1; Everton (A) 3-0.
TEAM
NEWS
Albion
Baggies' boss Tony Pulis has a couple of unnamed
injury doubts ahead of the trip to Old Trafford but James Morrison could return
to the starting line-up having now fully recovered from his recent ankle injury.
Manchester United
Morgan Schneiderlin is likely to return after
missing the midweek Champions League win over CSKA Moscow through illness but
Antonio Valencia is doubtful with a foot problem whilst Matteo Darmian is
suspended.
MATCH
ODDS
Result
Albion Win: 11/1, United Win: 4/11, Draw: 3/1.
First Goalscorer Albion:
Berahino 12/1, Rondon 12/1, Lambert 14/1, Anichebe 16/1, Sessegnon 20/1,
McManaman 25/1, McClean 25/1, Morrison 25/1, Dawson 28/1, Gardner 28/1, Chris
Brunt 33/1.
Manchester United: Rooney 3/1, Martial 7/2,
Fellaini 5/1, Pereira 11/2, Wilson 11/2, Mata 11/2, Depay 11/2, Herrera 6/1,
Lingard 13/2, Young 12/1, Schwiensteiger 12/1, Schneiderlin 14/1, Smalling 20/1,
Carrick 25/1, Blind 28/1, Rojo 28/1, Valencia 33/1, Jones 33/1.
No goalscorers: 10/1.
www.williamhill.com
REFEREE
Mike Dean (Wirral)
Dean last refereed Albion on the opening day of the
season when the Baggies crashed to a 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City.
He refereed three Albion games last season - the
2-2 draw at Burnley in February, the 1-0 win at home to Aston Villa in December
and the 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United in October.
The Wirral official has taken charge of one
Manchester United game so far this season - the 1-0 win at Aston Villa in
August.
Dean has issued 38 yellow cards and two red in the
11 games he has officiated so far this season.
A full run-down of Dean's history refereeing the
Baggies can be found here
TICKET INFORMATION
Albion's allocation of tickets for the game are
completely sold out.
WEATHER FORECAST
Sunny intervals, 14°C
FIXTURE HISTORY
Albion's
first meeting
with Newton Heath - who would in time become Manchester
United - was a friendly game
in April 1889 at North Road, Manchester, which the
Baggies won 3-1, Tom Pearson (2) and Jem Bayliss the visitors' goalscorers.
The
first league meetings between the clubs took place in the First Division
during the 1892/93 season. The first game between the sides, at Stoney
Lane, ended in a goalless draw. Just one week later, in the return game at North
Road, Albion ran out 4-2 winners thanks to two goals from Archie Bostock and one each from Roddy McLeod and Billy Bassett.
Albion
initially had an excellent record against their opponents, winning 13 of
the first 25 league meetings and losing just six. Since then, barring a
spell during the 1950s and then the late 1970s, United have generally held
the upper hand.
The Baggies' biggest win against United came in April
1968 when they recorded a 6-3 victory at The Hawthorns with the late, great,
Jeff Astle netting three of the Albion goals. Other big wins for Albion
include 5-1 at The Hawthorns in 1925/26, and 5-3 at Old Trafford in
December 1978 - a game that is generally recognised as one of Albion's
greatest ever performances.
United's best win over Albion came at Old Trafford in
April 1970 when they ran out easy 7-0 winners against an Alan Ashman led team.
Other notable wins for United include 5-0 in 2008/09, 5-1 in 1985/86, 5-3 in 1966/67
and another 5-1 in 1951/52.
Albion’s last home league victory over the 'Red Devils' came at The Hawthorns
on March 31, 1984 when Cyrille Regis and Steve MacKenzie scored the goals
which gave the Baggies’ a 2-0 win over Ron Atkinson's United. However,
the Baggies did beat United in a Carling Cup 4th round tie at The
Hawthorns in December 2003, Bernt Haas and Scott Dobie scoring the goals in a 2-0 victory.
In May 2013, Albion and United created a record for the highest-ever score
draw in the Premier League. Baggies' striker Romelu Lukaku hit a hat-trick
as the two teams shared ten goals in what was Sir Alex Ferguson's last
game in charge of United.
In August 2002, after 16 years out of the top flight of English football, United
were Albion's first opponents in Premier League action, Gary Megson's Baggies
losing a tight game 1-0 at Old Trafford in a game that saw Albion captain Derek
McInnes sent-off for a bad tackle on David Beckham. Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer hit the 79th minute winner for the hosts.
Tommy Worton (1902), Jeff Astle (1968), Tony Brown (1971) and Romelu Lukaku
(2013) are the only Albion players to have hit hat-tricks against United in
competitive action.
Hat-trick scorers for United against the Baggies are Jesper Olsen (1986), David
Herd (1966), Dennis Viollet (1955), Jack Rowley (1951) and Christopher Taylor
(1926).
A full fixture history between the two teams can be found here
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Sunday 19 May 2013 - Albion 5-5 Manchester United - Premier League - The
Hawthorns
Tuesday 27 January 2009 - Albion 0-5 Manchester United - Premier League - The
Hawthorns
Saturday 7 May 2005 - Manchester United 1-1 Albion - Premier League - Old Trafford
Wednesday 3 December 2003 - Albion 2-0 Manchester United - Carling Cup 4th Round - The
Hawthorns
Saturday 4 September 1982 - Albion 3-1 Manchester United - First Division - The
Hawthorns
Saturday 27 December 1980 - Albion 3-1 Manchester United - First Division - The
Hawthorns
Saturday 30 December 1978 - Manchester United 3-5 Albion - First Division - Old Trafford
Wednesday 1 February 1978 - Albion 3-2 Manchester United - FA Cup 4th Round Replay - The
Hawthorns
Saturday 16 October 1976 - Albion 4-0 Manchester United - First Division - The
Hawthorns
Wednesday 5 March 1958 - Manchester United 1-0 Albion - FA Cup QF Replay - Old Trafford
LAST MEETING AT OLD TRAFFORD
 Manchester
United 0-1 Albion
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 2nd May 2015, 5:30pm
Manchester United:
De Gea, Valencia,
Smalling, McNair (Falcao 84’), Blind (Di Maria 63’), Mata, Herrera, Fellaini,
Young, Rooney, van Persie. Subs not used: Valdes, Blackett, Jones, Januzaj,
Pereira.
Booked: McNair
62 (foul)
Albion:
Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Lescott, Brunt, Yacob,
Gardner (Wisdom 89’), Mulumbu (Baird 76’), Fletcher, Berahino (Ideye
80’). Subs not used: Rose, Sessegnon, McManaman, Anichebe.
Goalscorer: Olsson 63
Attendance: 75,454
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Manchester United gave Liverpool
more than a glimmer of hope in their push for Champions League qualification as
Louis van Gaal's team slipped to a damaging 1-0 defeat to
West Brom. The Baggies had looked in danger of slipping back into the
relegation dog fight when other results went against them earlier in the day.
But Tony Pulis' side are seven points above the bottom three with three matches
to go thanks to their second successive win at Old Trafford. The last time the
club won back to back victories at United was in 1959. Chris Brunt's second-half
free-kick hit Jonas Olsson and flew past David de Gea to secure a win that was
accompanied by an impressive defensive display from the Midlanders. Robin van
Persie, making his first start since February 21, missed a penalty shortly after
Albion took the lead. United were poor all afternoon. Van Gaal's
fears about being unable to break down defensively-minded opposition came true.
Despite having Van Persie, Wayne Rooney, and Juan Mata on the pitch, United
could not breach a disciplined
Albion team, who played with Saido Berahino as a lone frontman
throughout. The result means United, who wore black armbands as a sign of
support for Rio Ferdinand after his wife died of cancer, have lost three Premier
League games in a row for the first time since 2001. A few weeks ago, the Red
Devils seemed certain to qualify for
Europe's top club competition,
but there are now a few doubts they will come up short. Liverpool, who beat QPR
on Saturday afternoon, are now just four points behind Van Gaal's men, who have
Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Hull to play before the end of the season.
The afternoon started on a
poignant note for those on the pitch who played alongside Ferdinand and the
people who wanted to show their support for him in the stands. Chants of "Rio, Rio" came from
the terraces as the players took to the pitch and in the fifth minute, almost
everyone inside the stadium rose to their feet and applauded the former United
defender, who wore five for the majority of his 12-year spell with the club.
Darren Fletcher, had an early chance to mark his return to Old Trafford with a
goal, but the former United midfielder blasted his volley over the bar and into
the Stretford End. That was one of only a few occasions West Brom crossed the
half way line in numbers in the first half. They spent most of the time camped
in their own half, a nine-man defensive block organised into two rigid lines,
with Berahino stationed far up the pitch on his own. United had 79 per cent
possession in the opening 10 minutes but they did nothing with it. Groans were
heard as early as the 12th minute as Chris Smalling passed the ball sideways
rather than forward while on the half way line. Ashley Young looked the most
likely player to prise open the Baggies' back line. He tricked his way past his
marker and fired towards goal but Van Persie got in the way and accidentally
diverted the ball wide. West Brom's only form attack in the first period was
through the air. Joleon Lescott wasted a good chance to score a shock opener
when he planted his header straight into De Gea's arms. Youssouf Mulumbu had
another effort saved. Van Persie was looking sharp on his first start for 10
weeks. The Dutchman rifled a low shot just wide from Young's pull-back and
Gareth McAuley put in a last-gasp challenge to dispossess the former Arsenal
striker. Ander Herrera kept chipping balls into the box from 30 yards out but
West Brom spat them back out. Even Marouane Fellaini could not get the
better of Jonas Olsson and Craig Dawson. Frustration got the better of the
Belgian. He somehow avoided punishment for pushing Claudio Yacob in the face
following a tussle for the ball.
Fellaini moved up front after the break to try to add some
muscle to United's front line, but the move did not pay off as the hosts
continued to toil. They had plenty of possession but lacked penetration. Then
came the killer blow. Paddy McNair bundled over Fletcher and handed the Baggies
a free-kick 20 yards out. Brunt let fly with a powerful shot which flicked
Olsson's left leg and flew into the net with De Gea stranded. Van Gaal responded
by bringing on Angel di Maria for Daley Blind. United felt they should have had
a penalty when Mata's cross struck Lescott's right arm, but Anthony Taylor waved
play on. The referee did give the hosts a spot kick soon after when Antonio
Valencia's cross struck Berahino's hand. The
Albion players insisted the
striker was outside the area, but after talking to his assistant Peter Kirkup,
he awarded the penalty. Van Persie took the ball but Boaz Myhill dived to his
left and palmed his shot wide. Myhill would just not be beaten and the Albion
stopper sealed the three points for the visitors at the death with two fine
saves from Van Persie and Di Maria.
Sporting Life
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Albion defender Jonny Evans started his
career in United's youth set-up, progressing through to make his first team
debut in a shock Carling Cup defeat at home to Coventry City in September 2007.
He made his Premier League debut for the club four months later and would go on
to make 198 appearances for United before leaving to join the Baggies in August.
Ben Foster spent five years at Old Trafford
but made just an handful of first team appearances. The Leamington-born keeper
had joined United from Stoke City in July 2005.
Baggies' captain Darren Fletcher joined
United as an 11 year old schoolboy and would spend 20 years in total on the
club's books before joining Albion on a free transfer in January.
Like Evans and Fletcher before him, Albion defender
James Chester started his career in the United youth system. In January
2009 he made his first team debut as a 67th minute substitute in the Carling Cup
semi-final second leg game against Derby County which United won 4-2. After loan
spells at Peterborough United, Plymouth Argyle and Carlisle United, Chester left
Old Trafford permanently in January 2011 when he joined Hull City in a deal
worth around £300,000. He spent four and a half years on Humberside before
moving to Albion this summer.
Alan Fettis, who had a short spell on loan
at The Hawthorns in 1995, is currently United's academy goalkeeping coach.
PAST
CONNECTIONS
Amongst the players
to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Arthur Albiston,
Michael Appleton, Jack
Banks, Peter
Barnes, Henry Boyd, Paul Bradshaw, Colin Brookes, Andy Comyn, Garth Crooks, Stan
Crowther, Laurie Cunningham, Luke Daniels, George Elmore, Arthur Fitton,
Johnny Giles, Andy Goram, Jonathan Greening, Graeme Hogg, Jim Holton,
Willie Johnston, Tomasz Kuszczak, Mick Martin, Paul McShane, Remi Moses,
Michael Nardiello, Jimmy Nicholl, Mike Phelan, Billy Richards, Kieran
Richardson, Bryan Robson, Maurice Setters, Arthur Smith, Jimmy Stanton,
Luke Steele, Mickey Thomas and Ronnie Wallwork.
Larger than life 'Big' Ron Atkinson managed both clubs; Ex-Albion boss Nobby Stiles
was a United player; Stuart Pearson played for United and later became a
coach at The Hawthorns; Ex-United boss Jimmy Murphy was an Albion player
during the 1930's; Former Albion player Brian Whitehouse later coached at Old
Trafford; Mick Brown was assistant manager at both clubs under Ron
Atkinson; Former Baggies' boss Johnny Giles started his playing career at
United; England legend Bryan Robson started his career at The Hawthorns
in the early 1970's before a record £1.5million move took him to Old Trafford in
1981. Robson returned to Albion in 2004 taking over the managerial hotseat from
Gary Megson; Michael Appleton played for both clubs and coached at
various levels at The Hawthorns; Mike Phelan, who was a coach and then
assistant manager at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, spent two years as an
Albion player between 1994 and 1996, after earlier having played for United.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS MANCHESTER UNITED
|
VENUE |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
|
Home |
63 |
28 |
15 |
20 |
116 |
103 |
|
Away |
63 |
14 |
16 |
33 |
78 |
124 |
|
Total |
126 |
42 |
31 |
53 |
194 |
227 |
LAST
TEN MATCHES AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED
|
DATE |
COMPETITION |
H/A |
F-A |
GOALSCORERS |
GATE |
|
Sat 02 May 2015 |
Premier League |
A |
1-0 |
Olsson |
75,454 |
|
Mon 20 Oct 2014 |
Premier League |
H |
2-2 |
Sessègnon,
Berahino - Fellaini, Blind |
25,794 |
|
Sat 08 Mar 2014 |
Premier League |
H |
0-3 |
Jones, Rooney, Welbeck |
26,184 |
|
Sat 28 Sep 2013 |
Premier League |
A |
2-1 |
Amalfitano, Berahino - Rooney |
75,042 |
|
Sun 19 May 2013 |
Premier League |
H |
5-5 |
Morrison, Lukaku 3, Mulumbu -
Kagawa, Olsson (og),
Büttner, van Persie, Hernández |
26,438 |
|
Sat 29 Dec 2012 |
Premier League |
A |
0-2 |
McAuley (og), van Persie |
75,595 |
|
Sun 11 Mar 2012 |
Premier League |
A |
0-2 |
Rooney 2 (1 pen) |
75,598 |
|
Sun 14 Aug 2011 |
Premier League |
H |
1-2 |
Long - Rooney, Reid (og) |
25,360 |
|
Sat 01 Jan 2011 |
Premier League |
H |
1-2 |
Morrison - Rooney, Hernandez |
25,499 |
|
Sat 16 Oct 2010 |
Premier League |
A |
2-2 |
Evra (og), Tchoyi -
Hernandez, Nani |
75,272 |
|
