Man Utd Vs West Brom

Sat 2 May 2015, Old Trafford

Man Utd

17:30
Kick-off

West Brom

Referee: Anthony Taylor


#MUNWBA

Match Preview

Louis van Gaal's Manchester United welcome West Bromwich Albion on Saturday seeking to avoid a third straight Barclays Premier League defeat and boosted by the news that captain Wayne Rooney is fit.

Defeats by Chelsea and Everton have hampered United's attempts to ensure automatic qualification for the UEFA Champions League, with Rooney suffering a knee injury against his former club.

The United captain was substituted during the second half of the 3-0 reversal at Goodison Park, compounding United's misery and apparatenly leaving Rooney a doubt for the visit of West Brom.

But Van Gaal said the forward has recovered to face West Brom, against whom his attaching nous will be valuable.

United were afforded the lion's share of possession at both Stamford Bridge and Goodison but were hit on the counter at both venues. With Tony Pulis's men also likely to sit deep in their bid to claim points, United face an examination of their attacking prowess and the absence of their top-scorer would have represented a blow.

Van Gaal’s attacking options have also been boosted by the fitness of Robin van Persie, who scored twice in an Under-21 match on Monday, while Adnan Januzaj contributed two assists.

However, Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans are not fit to play, while Phil Jones’s lack of match fitness makes his return unlikely.

Following back-to-back defeats against Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City, West Brom have since taken four points off Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

The team have bettered their 36-point haul from last season and look all but certain to retain their Barclays Premier League status for next term thanks to a turnaround in fortunes under Pulis.

Of the bottom nine sides in the division, only Hull City have conceded fewer league goals than West Brom, who may benefit from an additional attacking threat should Callum McManaman return to the starting XI.

The winger has been troubled by a foot injury since joining from Wigan Athletic in January, but his team-mate, James Morrison, is confident McManaman's substitute appearance against Liverpool is a promising sign.

"Callum is an exciting player and he is learning every week," Morrison told West Brom's website, wba.co.uk. "Once we get his fitness up he will be even better.

“He is eager to impress because he has been hampered with injury since he came in and I am sure he will be looking forward to having a few games now and then will look forward to next season.

"We joke about the fact we haven't seen him since that FA Cup Final [in 2013, when he impressed for Wigan Athletic] so he has got something to prove to show the fans what he is all about.

"He showed glimpses and if he gets his fitness up he will be a bonus for us."

Manchester United (from): De Gea, Valdes, Lindegaard, Blackett, Evans, Jones, McNair, Rojo, Shaw, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Di Maria, Fellaini, Herrera, Januzaj, Mata, Pereira, Powell, Valencia, Young, Falcao, Rooney, Van Persie, Wilson.

West Brom (from): Myhill, Baird, Davidson, Dawson, Gamboa, Lescott, McAuley, Olsson, Pocognoli, Wisdom, Brunt, Fletcher, Gardner, McManaman, Morrison, Mulumbu, Sessegnon, Yacob, Anichebe, Berahino, Ideye, Nabi.

Match Appointments
Referee: Anthony Taylor Assistants: G Beswick, P KirkupFourth Official: M Oliver

Match Facts
Wayne Rooney has scored in each of his last six Barclays Premier League starts against West Bromwich Albion (seven goals).
Rooney has scored 15 in his last 16 BPL matches at Old Trafford.
West Brom have won one of their last 21 league matches against Manchester United (W1 D4 L16), at Old Trafford last season.
West Brom have the highest percentage of goals from set-pieces in the top flight in 2014/15 (56%).

Current Form

Man Utd
L 3 - 0 v EVE (A)
L 1 - 0 v CHE (A)
W 4 - 2 v MCI (H)
W 3 - 1 v AVL (H)
W 1 - 2 v LIV (A)
W 3 - 0 v TOT (H)

West Brom
D 0 - 0 v LIV (H)
W 0 - 2 v CRY (A)
L 2 - 3 v LEI (H)
L 1 - 4 v QPR (H)
L 3 - 0 v MCI (A)
W 1 - 0 v STK (H)

Last Corresponding Meeting

Sat 28 Sep 2013, Old Trafford
Man Utd	1 - 2	West Brom
Wayne Rooney (57)		Morgan Amalfitano (54) Saido Berahino (67)

Head-to-Head

	Drawn
6	3	1