Westbromwich Albion Vs Manchester United 1 - 0 - (Full Time)

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Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal
called on his squad to believe that they
can reach the Barclays Premier League
top four as they look to make it five
straight victories in all competitions when
they face West Bromwich Albion on
Sunday.
Back-to-back league wins over Arsenal and Watford -
combined with Manchester City's run of three consecutive
top-flight defeats - have catapulted United back into the race
for a UEFA Champions League spot that previously appeared
to be out of reach.
Van Gaal's team are now level on points with fourth-placed
City having played one match more and also sit within four
points of Arsene Wenger's struggling Gunners in third.
But despite the recent turnaround, a victory is not a formality
- West Brom have lost only two of the last six league matches
against United, who have only won one of their previous seven
top-flight away matches.
United are nine unbeaten at The Hawthorns, though, which is
the only time a BPL team has gone nine or more away
fixtures against one opponent at the same venue without
suffering a loss.
"When you see that we close the gap on the top four a little
bit then your belief shall raise," said Van Gaal. "I am talking to
my players and saying that they need to believe in that. I
believe in that, but they need to believe in it as well.
"A title is [worth] more than fourth. But the Champions
League is also our aim and we get that by winning the
Europa League or finishing fourth. We have to beat West
Bromwich Albion and that will not be easy.
"Last year we played there and drew, so it is not an easy
opponent and at home we also lost against them. But we won
at home this season and we hope to also win on Sunday."
That 2-0 win came in November for United, whose supporters
are hoping Chris Smalling (shoulder) will be passed fit to
play, while Van Gaal is reluctant to risk Marouane Fellaini,
Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia until they have played for the
Under-21 side first, although they are in contention if
required.
West Brom, meanwhile, are without Jonny Evans (hamstring)
against his former club, as well as Chris Brunt (knee), James
Morrison (hamstring) and Callum McManaman (foot).
Tony Pulis' hosts are on a good run having lost just twice in
their last 10 league outings, a streak that has given them a 12-
point cushion over the bottom three as they sit in 13th
position.
"If we can get to 40 points in the next few games [West Brom
have 36], we will then try to get more points than the club
has ever got in this league," said Pulis. "They [United] are a
good side, they have got some good players. We know it will
be a tough game, they have had a great result again on
Wednesday so they will come full of confidence.
"It is just making sure the players enjoy the challenge. The big
thing is to enjoy it. The last three league games, we have won
at Everton, beaten Crystal Palace and then had a good draw
at Leicester. The last two games, Leicester and Palace, have been
full of goals as well so it keeps everybody quiet."
West Bromwich Albion (from): Foster, Myhill,
Rose, Chester, Dawson, Gamboa, McAuley, O'Neil, Olsson,
Pocognoli, Fletcher, Gardner, McClean, Pritchard, Sandro,
Sessegnon, Yacob, Anichebe, Berahino, Lambert, Rondon.
Manchester United (from): De Gea, Romero,
Darmian, Jones, McNair, Rojo, Fosu-Mensah, Smalling, Valencia,
Varela, Riley, Weir, Blind, Carrick, Rothwell, Fellaini, Herrera,
Januzaj, Lingard, Mata, Pereira, Schneiderlin, Depay, Martial,
Rashford.
Match Appointments
Referee: Mike Dean Assistants: S Long, S Bennett
Fourth Official: S Attwell
Match Facts
- West Bromwich Albion have lost just two of the last six
Barclays Premier League matches against Manchester United
(W2 D2 L2).
- Man Utd named their fourth youngest starting XI in
BPL history in their last match against Watford (23 years, 222
days old on average).
- Salomon Rondon has scored in three of his last five
league outings, having failed to score in his previous nine.
- Man Utd are unbeaten in nine BPL visits to the
Hawthorns (W7 D2), the only instance of a team going nine
or more away matches without defeat in the competition
against one opponent at the same venue.

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Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal
called on his squad to believe that they
can reach the Barclays Premier League
top four as they look to make it five
straight victories in all competitions when
they face West Bromwich Albion on
Sunday.
Back-to-back league wins over Arsenal and Watford -
combined with Manchester City's run of three consecutive
top-flight defeats - have catapulted United back into the race
for a UEFA Champions League spot that previously appeared
to be out of reach.
Van Gaal's team are now level on points with fourth-placed
City having played one match more and also sit within four
points of Arsene Wenger's struggling Gunners in third.
But despite the recent turnaround, a victory is not a formality
- West Brom have lost only two of the last six league matches
against United, who have only won one of their previous seven
top-flight away matches.
United are nine unbeaten at The Hawthorns, though, which is
the only time a BPL team has gone nine or more away
fixtures against one opponent at the same venue without
suffering a loss.
"When you see that we close the gap on the top four a little
bit then your belief shall raise," said Van Gaal. "I am talking to
my players and saying that they need to believe in that. I
believe in that, but they need to believe in it as well.
"A title is [worth] more than fourth. But the Champions
League is also our aim and we get that by winning the
Europa League or finishing fourth. We have to beat West
Bromwich Albion and that will not be easy.
"Last year we played there and drew, so it is not an easy
opponent and at home we also lost against them. But we won
at home this season and we hope to also win on Sunday."
That 2-0 win came in November for United, whose supporters
are hoping Chris Smalling (shoulder) will be passed fit to
play, while Van Gaal is reluctant to risk Marouane Fellaini,
Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia until they have played for the
Under-21 side first, although they are in contention if
required.
West Brom, meanwhile, are without Jonny Evans (hamstring)
against his former club, as well as Chris Brunt (knee), James
Morrison (hamstring) and Callum McManaman (foot).
Tony Pulis' hosts are on a good run having lost just twice in
their last 10 league outings, a streak that has given them a 12-
point cushion over the bottom three as they sit in 13th
position.
"If we can get to 40 points in the next few games [West Brom
have 36], we will then try to get more points than the club
has ever got in this league," said Pulis. "They [United] are a
good side, they have got some good players. We know it will
be a tough game, they have had a great result again on
Wednesday so they will come full of confidence.
"It is just making sure the players enjoy the challenge. The big
thing is to enjoy it. The last three league games, we have won
at Everton, beaten Crystal Palace and then had a good draw
at Leicester. The last two games, Leicester and Palace, have been
full of goals as well so it keeps everybody quiet."
West Bromwich Albion (from): Foster, Myhill,
Rose, Chester, Dawson, Gamboa, McAuley, O'Neil, Olsson,
Pocognoli, Fletcher, Gardner, McClean, Pritchard, Sandro,
Sessegnon, Yacob, Anichebe, Berahino, Lambert, Rondon.
Manchester United (from): De Gea, Romero,
Darmian, Jones, McNair, Rojo, Fosu-Mensah, Smalling, Valencia,
Varela, Riley, Weir, Blind, Carrick, Rothwell, Fellaini, Herrera,
Januzaj, Lingard, Mata, Pereira, Schneiderlin, Depay, Martial,
Rashford.
Match Appointments
Referee: Mike Dean Assistants: S Long, S Bennett
Fourth Official: S Attwell
Match Facts
- West Bromwich Albion have lost just two of the last six
Barclays Premier League matches against Manchester United
(W2 D2 L2).
- Man Utd named their fourth youngest starting XI in
BPL history in their last match against Watford (23 years, 222
days old on average).
- Salomon Rondon has scored in three of his last five
league outings, having failed to score in his previous nine.
- Man Utd are unbeaten in nine BPL visits to the
Hawthorns (W7 D2), the only instance of a team going nine
or more away matches without defeat in the competition
against one opponent at the same venue.
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