West Brom vs Manchester United – as it happened: Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard both find the net
All the action from the Hawthorns as United saw off West Brom
Manchester United secured their second narrow victory in the space of four days with a 2-1 defeat of West Brom at the Hawthorns.
Romelu Lukaku's header and Jesse Lingard's deflected strike gave Jose Mourinho's team a two-goal advantage at the break, and although Gareth Barry pulled one back for the hosts, United clung on for all three points.
The victory still leaves United second in the league, 11 points behind their city rivals, while West Brom's poor run of form leaves them 19th in the table, above only Swansea City.
Follow all the live action below...
What time does it start?
West Brom vs Manchester United kicks off at 2.15pm on Sunday afternoon
Where can I watch it?
Highlights of the game will be broadcast on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday at 22.30
It’s a big game for…
Romelu Lukaku. The £75m man grabbed a goal in midweek after a recent dry spell, and these sorts of games are bread-and-butter stuff for the striker who famously thrives against smaller sides. He has four goals in seven career appearances against West Brom.
The Belgian is remembered fondly in this part of the West Midlands after scoring 17 goals in 35 Premier League appearances as a 19-year-old for the Baggies, and will likely get a warm welcome. But he will need to be at his ruthless best to get through a fast-improving West Brom defence.
Best stat…
No manager has beaten Jose Mourinho in the Premier League more times than Alan Pardew (3 – level with Mark Hughes).
Remember when...
Sir Alex’s 1,500th and final match in charge of Manchester United ended in a goalfest as his side drew 5-5 with West Brom.
On an unusually festive final-day occasion, with the Red Devils already crowned as champions and the Baggies comfortably ensconced in the top half, a Romelu Lukaku hat-trick and goals from forgotten names like Shinji Kagawa and Alexander Buttner ensured that the points were shared.
Player to watch…
Jonny Evans. Against his former club, Evans will be crucial to the Baggies’ hopes of getting anything from this match. The West Brom captain has helped his side keep clean sheets against Liverpool and Crystal Palace in their last three games, and has a habit of chipping in with important goals too.
Evans has recently been linked with a return to Manchester, with both City and United reportedly interested, and the Baggies will surely have to keep hold of the Northern Ireland international in January if they are to have any chance of staying up. Up against the likes of Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, he will be key to West Brom’s chances here.
Previous three meetings…
Manchester United 0 West Bromwich Albion 0, Premier League, April 2017
West Bromwich Albion 0 Manchester United 2 (Ibrahimovic), Premier League, December 2016
West Bromwich Albion 1 (Rondon) Manchester United 0, Premier League, March 2016
Form guide…
West Bromwich Albion: DDDLD
Manchester United: WWWLW
Odds…
West Bromwich Albion: 5/1
Manchester United: 3/5
Draw: 11/4
72' - Chris Brunt replaces Grzegorz Krychowiak for West Brom.
74' - Chris Brunt plays Salomon Rondon through on goal but the West Brom striker's left-footed shot under pressure from Chris Smalling is straight at David de Gea.
GOAL! West Brom 1-2 Manchester United (Barry)
78' - United fail to clear their lines after Chris Brunt's corner and Gareth Barry stabs the ball into the corner from six yards.
The last 10 minutes of this game could be tasty.
85' - Chance! Jay Rodriguez gets on the end of Chris Brunt's cross but his header goes just wide of the beaten David de Gea's near post.
86' - United's ball retention has been so, so poor in the last 10 to 15 minutes. A West Brom equaliser looks to be more of a probability than a possibility right now.
90+2' - Romelu Lukaku has the chance to wrap up all three points for the visitors but his scuffed right-footed shot goes wide of Ben Foster's far post after Marcos Rojo's long ball.
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