Manchester United vs. West Brom: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Manchester United moved to within one point of the Premier League summit with a 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday at Old Trafford.
The hosts dominated possession but struggled to break down West Brom's stubborn defense until the 52nd minute, when Jesse Lingard curled in a superb opener. United doubled their lead in second-half stoppage time, as Juan Mata converted from the penalty spot.
"We were patient," United's Daley Blind told MUTV (h/t the club's Twitter account). "Sometimes it takes a while to get a chance but we've got the points and that's the main thing."
West Brom finished the match with 10 men after Gareth McAuley was sent off for the foul that led to United's late penalty.
The win took United up to 24 points through 12 games, just one point behind Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester City, though City and Arsenal each have a game in hand.
Here B/R selects winners and losers from Saturday's match.
Winner: Jesse Lingard
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Manager Louis van Gaal showed faith in Jesse Lingard by giving the 22-year-old his first Premier League start of the campaign. Lingard responded with a fine performance that included the winning goal.
In the 52nd minute, a poor clearance bounced invitingly to Lingard, who curled the ball expertly past Boaz Myhill. It was the high point of a strong day for the youngster.
Writing for the Manchester Evening News, Rob Dawson noted:
"It was already a good day for Jesse Lingard after he handed his first Premier League start of the season. And it got even better early in the second half when he stroked home United's opener from 20 yards.
It wasn't the finish you might expect from a 22-year-old making just his fifth senior start for United. He could also turn out to be the unexpected star from the 2011 Youth Cup winners, a team that included Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison.
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United will be expecting great things from Lingard. Based on Saturday's evidence, he has the potential to deliver.
Loser: Chris Brunt
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For much of the match, West Brom gave United little to work with. The visitors set out to defend, and they did so very well—apart from a few key moments.
The most important—and damaging for West Brom—of those moments came in the 52nd minute, when Chris Brunt headed a poor clearance straight to Jesse Lingard. With United struggling to create real chances, it was just the opening they needed. Lingard wasted no time in curling a beautiful shot past Myhill.
It's probably harsh to label Brunt a loser for one mistake, but the margins are incredibly slim at the highest level. His one mistake cost West Brom dearly on this day.
Winner: United's Defensive Record
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Saturday's game marked the first time in six outings that United scored more than once. Even so, most impartial observers will agree Louis van Gaal's men still have plenty of room for improvement in the final third.
On the other hand, United are looking stout on defense. Apart from one golden chance Saido Berahino fluffed in the second half, the hosts gave almost nothing away.
Per Squawka, this was United's fifth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions. In the Premier League, they now have eight clean sheets this season, the most in the division. After this latest shutout, the Red Devils have gone almost nine hours without giving up a goal in any competition—an almost unbelievable stat.
This is great news for Van Gaal. While the team continues to work on its attacking issues, the defense is providing a firm foundation for success.
Loser: Saido Berahino
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Saido Berahino had a golden chance to tie the match in the second half. He missed badly.
In the 74th minute, Craig Dawson curled a perfect cross into the box from the right. He picked out an unmarked Berahino, who surely would have scored with any effort placed on target. But Berahino took his eye off the ball and headed wildly off target.
It was a poor miss. In a game such as this, with Manchester United dominating possession and West Brom creating precious few chances, Berahino simply had to score. If not, hitting the target was absolutely necessary.
Instead, he missed badly and West Brom conceded another goal in stoppage time, with the original chance coming from a quick United counter.
Winner: Youth at Manchester United
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As noted earlier, Lingard earned plaudits for a strong performance for United, but the 22-year-old wasn't the only young player on display at Old Trafford.
In the second half, manager Louis van Gaal introduced 18-year-old defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson as a substitute. Borthwick-Jackson did not have a particularly eventful senior debut, but fans will be happy to see another player coming through the ranks for United.
This season has seen Van Gaal give chances to such players, from Lingard and Borthwick-Jackson to Anthony Martial and Andreas Pereira. Martial, of course, came with a hefty transfer fee, but it's still encouraging to see United bringing along younger talent.
