After the memorable comeback against Manchester City in the Derby last week, Manchester United came crashing down to Earth after a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to the basement side of the Premier League. Defeat crowned Manchester City Champions in absentia as United’s Premier League season shuddered to a limp end.
FOSTER CONTINUES TO BE THORN IN UNITED’S SIDE
Last season West Brom came to Old Trafford and secured a point from a 0-0 affair with former United goalkeeper Ben Foster taking home all the plaudits. In this season’s encounter, it was Foster who secured the points for the Baggies as his worldie to deny Romelu Lukaku more than once. The one-handed save to turn the ball behind to the charge down at Lukaku when the striker attempted to dink the ball over the keeper stand out. He also made a comfortable save from Chris Smalling in the final minute to ensure that the Baggies took home all three points.
SET PIECE WOES
United just can’t defend set pieces. For what seemed like the millionth time this season, United conceded from a set piece despite having giants in their side in Nemanja Matic, Romelu Lukaku, Chris Smalling, Victor Lindelof and Paul Pogba. All giants towering above the 6 feet mark. The game at the King Power, the Derby at home and the visit to the Magpies in February were all thrown away by United’s inability to defend set-pieces.
FIRST DEFEAT IN FIVE
Make no mistake, despite this defeat, United have made incredible progress over the past couple of months with wins over Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all secured. The defeat is United’s first in five after the disappointing afternoon at St. James’ Park in February. With five games yet to be played, United can still secure 86 points in the League this campaign with all ‘winnable’ games. That being said, West Brom can also be classified as a winnable game and United deservedly took nothing home.
DISAPPOINTING POGBA
Paul Pogba is something of an enigma these days. The performance in the Derby would get him into any team in the world but the performance against West Brom would see him struggle to get into Tranmere Rovers. The Frenchman failed to kick on from his performance last week and had an afternoon to forget. He failed to impose himself on the game and gave the ball away countless times. His dull performance merited the substitution before the hour mark and it remains to be seen whether the midfielder will be in the starting lineup against Bournemouth at the Vitality.