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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United are on the verge of the top four after moving level on points with Tottenham to sit just three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City following the 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion, with striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring both goals in a fiery affair at The Hawthorns. Re-live the action here.
- Manchester United beat West Brom 2-0
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic opens the socring with a close-range header inside five minutes
- Swedish striker doubles the lead after the break with a deflected effort
- Win puts United level on points with fifth-placed Spurs
- West Brom remain seventh but seven points behind United
Follow live coverage on our blog below...
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It’s a big game for...
Juan Mata: The midfielder returned to the side in Mkhitaryan’s absence for the 2-1 victory over Palace, but was replaced after 70 minutes by Jesse Lingard. If Mata is given another chance to make the wide-right berth his own today, he needs to show Mourinho why he’s capable of challenging Mkhitaryan for the position when he returns from injury next week.
He was also sent-off in this fixture last year and will want to ensure it doesn’t remain an unhappy hunting ground.
Best stat...
40: The surprising number of time West Brom have actually beaten United in the league out of their 120 meetings. United hold the better record, but they have not been as dominant in this fixture as you might have thought, with the Red Devils holding 52 victories over the Baggies with 28 draws.
Player to look out for...
Salomon Rondon: The Venezuelan striker has found his form at West Brom this season and notched a superb 13-minute headed-hat-trick in Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over Swansea. He also scored against United last season in West Brom’s surprise victory over Louis van Gaal’s side, and he has the physicality to cause the likes of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo problems at the back.
Likely teams...
West Brom: Foster; Nyom, Olsson, McAuley, Dawson; Morrison, Phillips, Brunt, Chadli, Fletcher; Rondon.
Manchester United: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Blind; Carrick, Herrera; Mata, Pogba, Rooney; Ibrahimovic.
Past three meetings...
West Brom 1 (Rondon) Manchester United 0, Premier League, March 2016
Manchester United 2 (Lingard, Mata), West Brom 0, Premier League, November 2015
Manchester United 0 West Brom 1 (Olsson), Premier League, May 2015
Form...
West Brom: WWDWLW
Manchester United: DWDWWW
Odds:
West Brom to win: 24/5
Manchester United to win: 69/100
Draw: 14/5
(Odds provided by 888Sport)
Where can I watch it...
West Brom vs Manchester United kicks off at 17:30 GMT. The match will be shown live on BT Sport 1 from 17:00. Highlights will be shown on BBC One at 22:25 GMT.
You can also follow the match as it happens with The Independent’s live blog right here.
15 MINS
United begin to press forward and continue to maintain possession. Pogba delivers a delicate through ball to Ibrahimovic, but much to the relief of the home fans - the flag goes up. His movement off the ball is causing the West Brom defence a few issues.
18 MINS
Possession statistics stand at 50/50 at the moment, with both sides seeing their fair share of the ball. Jones delivers a long ball up to Pogba, but McAuley deals with the danger and headers the ball to safety.
21 MINS
The Baggies are slowly moving up the field, but it's not enough to create any chance of goal scoring opportunity. De Gea has been untested so far.
24 MINS
Yellow Card: Ibrahimovic goes into the book for a reckless challenge on Dawson that left the defender grounded.
27 MINS
Carrick delivers an over the top through ball to Lingard, but once again - the flag goes up. The United forwards disregard for the offside trap is leading to a number of wasted attacks. Either that, or it's a tremendous defensive line from West Brom.
30 MINS
Ibrahimovic delivers a ball through into the path of Rooney, but Foster sprints out and beats the striker to the ball.
At the other end, the ball goes into the box from Phillips and it finds Rondon. However, the on-form striker is unable to convert and he heads it wide.
33 MINS
Both sides appear to have gone off the boil here slightly, with United appearing content with their one goal advantage. United are just stringing the ball around the back four.
36 MINS
Brunt sets Dawson, but his ball into the box finds a red shirt and is easily dealt with. West Brom look lethal when they are using the width, particularly with Chadli and Phillips.
39 MINS
Chadli bursts forward, but his run comes to an early when Herrera clatters into him. Pulis's men are really struggling to settle and are coming very narrow. United look comfortable.
Mourinho is up on his feet for the first time during this fixture.
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