MANCHESTER UNITED SQUANDERED a chance to put pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City as Bruno Fernandes’ equaliser spared their blushes in a 1-1 draw at struggling West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were rocked by Mbaye Diagne’s second-minute opener for Albion at the Hawthorns.
Portugal midfielder Fernandes levelled just before half-time with his 19th goal of the season in all competitions.
But United were unable to find a break down second-bottom Albion again and had to settle for a third damaging draw in their last four league matches.
They moved above Leicester into second place, but sit seven points behind City, who have a game in hand.
United have lost just once in 18 league games and are unbeaten in 19 away league matches, but they left the icy West Midlands well aware City are now firmly in pole position to win the title.
After the blistering form that carried them into the title race across December and January, United are stumbling while City have won their last 11 league games.
Aware of the physical threat posed by Sam Allardyce’s teams, Solskjaer had warned his players to put their “bodies on the line” to deal with Albion’s aerial assault.
But that message clearly didn’t sink in as Albion took the lead after just 83 seconds.
Conor Gallagher swung over a teasing cross from the right and Diagne overpowered United defender Victor Lindelof as he muscled past him before thumping a diving header beyond David de Gea.
It was the 29-year-old Senegal striker’s first goal in four appearances since his loan move from Galatasaray in January.
Rocked by the earliest league goal they had conceded for three years, United tried to respond as Fred’s drive was held by Sam Johnstone.
Diagne won another duel with Lindelof, but to the relief of the United centre-back, this time the header sailed wide of the far post.
United’s defenders were struggling every time Albion put the ball in the air and Conor Townsend’s cross found Robert Snodgrass for a header that De Gea tipped over.
Solskjaer’s sluggish side managed only one shot in the first 30 minutes as the freezing temperatures seemed to sap them of energy and guile.
But, as he has so often since signing from Sporting Lisbon last year, Fernandes bailed United out in the 44th minute.
Harry Maguire showed some much-needed urgency as he advanced from the back to find Luke Shaw, who underlined the dramatic improvement he has shown this season with a fine cross from the left towards Fernandes.
Swivelling to meet it with a superb left-foot volley, Fernandes thundered his shot into the top corner from 12 yards.
Since his league debut for United in February 2020, only Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski have been directly involved in more goals in Europe’s five major divisions than Fernandes.
United were denied a penalty when referee Craig Pawson consulted the pitchside monitor to overturn his initial decision after Seyi Ajayi made contact with Maguire.
Mason Greenwood forced a good save from Johnstone soon after replacing the ineffective Anthony Martial, with Scott McTominay’s follow-up kicked off the line by Darnell Furlong.
Diagne should have won it for Albion in the closing stages, but he missed a pair of golden opportunities.
After barging past Maguire, Diagne saw De Gea save his tame close-range effort, then in the final moments he shot woefully wide from six yards.
To United’s intense frustration, their former keeper Johnstone made a brilliant finger-tip save in stoppage time to turn Maguire’s header onto the post.
Ashley Yonng never came across as the sharpest tool in the box
@Kieran: how is it dumb to keep trying to compete? He’s not saying they’ll be successful , just that he won’t give up trying. Real losers are the ones that quit. What would you do?
@Andrew Keane: thing is, United don’t try and compete. Especially not against good teams. They try not to lose.
@James Doyle: They competed against Chelsea!
@The Bunk: I said good teams….
But in fairness, they were at home against a team that has lost 3 out of the last 4, were beaten by 3 by both Watford and Bournemouth, and even then only “went for the win” with 30 minutes left, and Chelsea still had a goal incorrectly disallowed to equalize. It wasn’t all that great, really.
@Kieran: Tool? Yes. Sharp? No.
Ha.
Easy on the glue there Young ya gimp!
@glenn kilfeather: what do you expect him or anyone else put in that position to say ! Now who’s the ‘GIMP!’
@thatsnotme: Ashley Young
@thatsnotme: Ashley Young?
Playing to win? Is that what he calls turning out Jose’s patented 6-4-0 formation anytime United play a team in the top 6? Playing not to lose may get United tremendous results like a 0-0 at Anfield, or a 2-1 over an out of sorts Chelsea, but it does not a “title challenge” make. United have lost 16 points on Man City in 21 games. They were level after 7. That’s the opposite of “going to win every game”.
Deluded as the rest of them!
@Eoin McCarthy: why is he deluded?
@Andrew Keane: By thinking that United, or any team for that matter, might catch City at this stage.
New story on Young tomorrow, “Ashley Young fails drug test”
Dived in there Ashley
Well you hardly expect them to concede matches do you. Everyone else is playing for top 4 places since before Xmas.
Ah brilliant. You have to love Marlo Stanfields optimism. Hahahhah.
@England’s Envy: Careful now, or Young will get Chris and Snoop to put you up in those vacants.
@Alan J. McKenna: Haahaha McNulty will get their asS
You’re talking shiit Ashley….probably just returning what that bird dumped in your mouth that time though ha!
Clown
Hahahahahahahahaha…..lolololilolololololololol