For too long United were sterile. They touched the ball in the West Brom area only six times in the first half, and in the second they weren’t much more dangerous. Their play was often too congested and laboured. Whereas last week they spent the second 45 minutes pulling Manchester City this way and that, seven days on they appeared clueless as to how to breach a far weaker defence.
They could have been behind in the first half, with Albion’s midfield anchor Jake Livermore being allowed to maraud forward and test David de Gea with a low drive. It says a lot that Livermore has managed only two shots on target this season, and both have come against Manchester United.
United should have had a penalty for Craig Dawson’s foul on Ander Herrera, but referee Paul Tierney’s obstructed view cut short their protests. Other than that they had little to shout about.