West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United - live Premier League

01 January 2011 14:48
Follow Sportsmail's live coverage of the Barclays Premier League match from The Hawthorns, where Manchester United start the New Year on top of the table and can extend their lead before any of their title rivals even kick a ball in 2011. Roberto di Matteo hopes to steer his West Bromwich team away from the relegation zone. [LNB] West Bromwich 1 Manchester United 2West Bromwich: Carson,Reid (Zuiverloon 64), Scharner, Pablo (Tchoyi 71), Cech, Brunt, Morrison, Dorrans, Mulumbu (Fortune 90), Thomas,Odemwingie. Subs: Myhill, Miller, Shorey, Cox.[LNB]Goal: Morrison 14.[LNB]Manchester United: Kuszczak, Neville (Fabio 71), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Obertan (Gibson 60), Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Berbatov (Hernandez 60), Rooney. Subs: Amos, Owen, Evans, Bebe.[LNB]Goal: Rooney 3, Hernandez 75.[LNB]Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside). [LNB]West Bromwich will wonder how they have got nothing from this game, but it's no surprise that an under-par United punished the home side after Odemwingie's missed penalty.[LNB]Fergie's men go three points clear of neighbours City - at least until Roberto Mancini's team face Blackpool in a 3pm fixture at Eastlands. Follow coverage of that now with Dan Ripley.[LNB]FULL TIME: West Bromwich 1 Manchester United 2[LNB]90+3min: Rooney's mobility clearly limited as he risks further damage. Federico Macheda might have to wait a bit longer for a loan exit if the No 10 faces a spell out.[LNB]90+1min: Hang on, Rooney is back on! As the fourth officials signals five minutes added on, Rooney decides his team can't manage with 10 men (all subs made). Is this really wise?[LNB] Pea shooter: Hernandez celebrates scoring what proved to be the winner for United[LNB]89min: It's game over for Rooney and plenty of concerned faces on the United bench. His left ankle has gone again in fairly innocuous circumstances, but he's able to limp off rather than be taken off on a stretcher.[LNB]84min: Both United subs go in the book. Hernandez for a late lunge and Fabio for going through the back of Thomas.[LNB]81min: Don't write off the Baggies yet! They're back on the ball and having a go at United. Thomas cuts in from the left and his shot from the edge of the box is heading (albeit rather tamely) for the bottom right corner before Nemanja Vidic sticks a foot out to block.[LNB]78min: Looks like 2011 could well be starting as 2010 ended. United have been far from at their best, but still they march on. The home fans are subdued.[LNB] Red hot Mexican: Hernadez gets in front of Scharner to head home United's second[LNB]75min: GOAL! West Bromwich 1 Manchester United 2[LNB]Had a feeling that was going to happen! Awful marking from West Bromwich as Rooney takes a corner from the left and Javier Hernandez manages to get a free header at the near post from just four yards out. Another headed goal from the Mexican.[LNB]74min: The home fans try to push their heroes on to what would be a deserved victory. The pace on the pitch has dipped a bit. Now United win a corner. From it, the players in red are baffled as to why they don't have a penalty of their own. Fabio's cross is elbowed behind by Thomas, but Foy points to the corner.[LNB]71min: Somen Tchoyi finally comes on for Ibanez four minutes after the defender had limped off. There will be a reshuffle. Also, Fabio da Silva - who normally plays left back - comes on for Neville, who again looked off the pace today.[LNB]67min: Pablo Ibanez is coming off with discomfort to his right leg. Some sort of muscle strain by the looks of it. Before he can be subbed, United have a free kick right of centre, 35 yards out, and Rooney floats it woefully into the box. Nothing doing.[LNB] Spot of bother: Odemwingie misses a penalty to prevent his team from taking the lead[LNB]63min PENALTY MISSED! Odemwingie scuffs it wide with one of the worst spot kicks you will ever see. The Nigeria international seems to kick it with the inside of his ankle, Kuszczak goes the wrong way, but the ball trickles harmlessly wide.[LNB]62min: PENALTY FOR WEST BROMWICH! More doubt this time, but it still is a spot-kick! Jerome Thomas finds some space down the left and tries to cut inside Ferdinand just inside the box. Ferdinand's left leg hangs to trip the winger and Chris Foy points to the spot - just as he should have in the first half![LNB]61min: Gibson is on for Obertan - I thought it would be Anderson - and Berbatov doesn't look entirely delighted to be replaced by 'Chicharito' as United go in search of a breakthrough.[LNB]58min: There are going to be changes for United. Javier Hernandez and Darron Gibson are lurking on the sidelines.[LNB]54min: Scharner goes close with a crouching header from around about the penalty spot. He spun away from his marker to meet Brunt's corner from the left, but it goes wide back across United's goal.[LNB]53min: Dorrans wins a corner when his shot from the edge of the box is blocked. West Bromwich went on the attack when Anderson (again) gave the ball away with a ridiculously over-ambitious attempt at a threaded pass through about 17 opponents. [LNB]50min: A United attack comes to nothing and the home side again look for Odemwingie as a pacy outlet to try to hit their opposition on the break. The Nigeria international can only win a throw-in in the corner, but it shifts the pressure once more.[LNB] Dispossessed: Anderson (left) challenges for the ball with Morrison on a tricky afternoon for the Brazlian[LNB]47min: Brunt fires wide from just outside the box after the home side showed no fear in pressing United again. The move started when Brazil midfielder Anderson gave the ball away cheaply with a poor pass on the halfway line and United must tighten up if they are to maintain their impeccable Premier League record here. They've won four out of four at The Hawthorns going into this match.[LNB]46min: They're off again at The Hawthorns. No changes from either side.[LNB] The Baggies must have feared the worst when Rooney nabbed his rather fortuitous opener inside three minutes, but they go in at the break wondering how they aren't leading.[LNB]Half-time: West Bromwich 1 Manchester United 1[LNB]45+3min: Brunt lines up a free kick from about 25 yards, but it is poor effort and deflects wide for a corner. Nothing doing from the set piece and that's the last action of a decent half.[LNB]45min: Two minutes to be added - and West Bromwich almost grab the advantage.  Dorrans fires into the side netting after finding loads of space between Rio Ferdinand and right back Neville. Odemwingie had thread a nice pass through from deep, but Dorrans can't quite take advantage.[LNB] [LNB] Gary Neville clatters Dorrans - but the referee has no intention of giving a penalty against United[LNB]43min: Obertan's corner from the left goes very deep into the box and is easily cleared. What a waste.[LNB]42min: There's a nice ebb and flow to the game, with both teams enjoying a good feel of the ball. It's end to end, even if there aren't many clear chances.[LNB]37min: Both sides have a phase of playing the ball around outside each others boxes, but neither can find a decent cross. First, West Brom's Brunt plays one long to the the back post when Odemwingie runs near. Then, at the other end of the pitch, Dimitar Berbatov plays his centre too short to find strike partner Rooney.[LNB]34min: The home side are knocking the ball around nicely, as has been their trademark again this season, but United aren't too troubled. Neville doesn't seem rattled by his near-match-ending challenge on Dorrans and cooling chests a cross back to his keeper. Classy.[LNB]27min: The Baggies go close again. Brunt's curling shot from well outside the box flashes just over the bar.[LNB] Handful: Rooney vies for the ball with West Bromwich defender Mulumba (right)[LNB]Seventh heaven: Dorrans celebrates with goalscorer Morrison (right)[LNB]26min: Hugelycontroversial moment. Di Matteo is wondering how his team don't have a penalty and the numerical advantage as Neville brings down Graham Dorrans in the box. The contact is not huge, but it's enough to unbalance the breakaway Dorrans and prevent him from slotting past Kuszczak from 10 yards. Referee Chris Foy refuses to point to the spot -which saves Neville from a likely red card.[LNB]22min: Obertanmight not always look the most elegant of players, but he's causing thehome side all sorts of problems with his pace. Can't quite end his run down the left with a decent cross.[LNB]19min: The goal has certainly lifted the home fans and suddenly United look less comfortable in possession.[LNB]14min: GOAL! West Bromwich 1 Manchester United 1[LNB]James Morrison equalises with an absolute belter! Youssuf Mulumbu knocks a long ball up from the back, Nemanja Vidic beats Odemwingie to the header - but it falls to Morrison on the edge of the box and the former Middlesbrough midfielder smashes is on the half volley from just outside the box. It goes across Kuszczak and flies into the left corner of the goal.[LNB]11min: United hit West Brom on the break, with Rooney finding Darren Fletcher advanced and wide on the right, but the Scot's cross is poor and floats behind for a goal kick.[LNB]9min: Chris Brunt, back in the home side after suspension, whips in a decent cross from the set piece, but United clear it before Peter Odemwingie can make a decent contact.[LNB]8min: West Brom aren't lying down. They've responded well and now they have a corner.[LNB] Head boy: Rooney (obscured, left) heads the ball goalwards to break his barren spell[LNB]3min: GOAL! West Bromwich 0 Manchester United 1[LNB]Wayne Rooney finally scores in open play for the first time since March with the softest of headers past goalkeeper Scott Carson. Gabriel Obertan is given loads of time down the left, he lays off to Patrice Evra, who crosses first time, and Rooney nods the ball into the ground from about 10 yards out, but the angle across the keeper gives Carson no chance.[LNB]1min: Paul Scharner, back in the home team after a bout of sickness, goes down inside the first minute after going up for a ball with Wayne Rooney and taking a blow to the face. He looks like he'll be OK, though, after a bit of treatment.[LNB]And West Bromwich kick off to get us underway.[LNB]12.43pm: Fergie explains Van der Sar's absence to the Sky cameras. He explains that the 40-year-old goalkeeper was always going to get a rest at some point over the busy festive period and this seemed like the ideal opportunity. Kuszczak should feel at home at the stadium where he played before joining United in 2006.[LNB]12.41pm: The teams come out to a very wet afternoon in the West Midlands.[LNB]12.30pm: Get ready, it's just 15 minutes till the first Barclays Premier League ball is kicked this year. The teams are in are Sir Alex Ferguson has rung the changes. Tomasz Kuszczak is preferred to Edwin van der Sar in goal and finds Gary Neville in front of him as the right back makes a first start for two months.[LNB]Gabriel Obertan and Darren Fletcher also come in after United's last-ditch heartache in midweek, when Birmingham snatched a late draw against the League leaders with a controversial Lee Bowyer goal.[LNB]West Bromwich have also made four changes and will hope to at least match the draw they earned at Old Trafford earlier this season.[LNB] Enlarge Head to head: West Bromwich hot shot Peter Odemwingie (left) is set to face United's Wayne Rooney[LNB]  Wayne Rooney: I want to learn the art of management in the lower leaguesWest Brom striker Luke Moore rejects chance to extend Derby loan dealWEST BROMWICH ALBION FC

Source: Daily_Mail