Manchester United need to beat struggling West Bromwich Albion to preserve the Premier League title this afternoon. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have won only one of their last four league matches, knocking out points at home against Everton at the end of last week after conceding the stoppage-time equalizer in a 3-3 draw.
United returned to winning ways in the middle of the week, beating West Ham after extra time to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, but they went to today’s match behind league leaders Manchester City by eight points.
Meanwhile, Bages have only scored one point from their last five matches – a draw with struggling teammates Fulham – and they are now 13 points off safety with a mountain they must climb to avoid relegation.
West Bromwich 11: Johnston, Peltier, Ajay, Bartley, Townsend, Yukoslo, Gallagher, Maitland-Niles, Snodgrass, Diane, Pereira
Man United X.Me: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Fernandez, Rashford, Martial, Cavani.
Live updates
The first half: West Bromwich 1-1 Man United
This is the cut-off period – United were breaking before the half-time whistle blew, and Solskjaer’s players were furious that their response was stopped there.
45 + 1 minute: West Brom are looking to go ahead again, and are packing the six-yard box around De Gea due to the goalkeeper’s recent spurs. Fred must once again block another corner – a decisive block.
Goal! West Bromwich 1-1 Man United | Bruno Fernandez, 44 min
United on the level! Fernandez advances again and pulls the Red Devils back into this game with a superb shot coded to the shoulder from Luke Show’s cross.
Great goal, and exactly what United need.
Fernandez drops off the ball, but a VAR check sees that nothing is needed.
39 minutes: United can’t handle Diane in the air today, although McTominay felt he was at the wrong end of the facility now – but nothing he does.
37 minutes: Rashford suffered a foul outside the penalty area by Bartley but play continues and United win the corner. It was a real battle with United, but they will have to rise to the challenge and try to overcome these late challenges.
36 minutes: First booked for the match as Gallagher crushes Fred in midfield.
36 minutes: Allardyce will be pleased so far. United had the majority of the ball as expected, but Johnston did not really save the ball.
32 minutes: Maguire holds the ball to West Brom and wins a corner kick. The rest clears their streaks, but United are playing more now and turning the nail on … but Fernandez sways cross.
30 minutes: Half an hour passed, and Fred won with a free kick 35 yards left. Xu is sure to swing this ball for a header … he does, but the offside flag is rising.