Bruno Fernandes (and VAR), come to Ole's rescue

OLE Gunnar Solskjaer just avoided suffering another frustrating Old Trafford home result, courtesy of his best current player Bruno Fernandes, but the beleaguered Manchester United manager could also offer a large vote of thanks to VAR.

Solskjaer had blamed the lack of supporters for his team’s appalling home form on the eve of the clash with Slaven Bilic’s winless Albion.

But he would only have had his under-achieving stars to blame if they had managed to lose this contest following a controversy-strewn start to the second half.

Within 50 seconds, referee David Coote first awarded Albion a penalty then changed his mind after viewing Fernandes’s challenge on Conor Gallagher on his pitchside monitor.

Then, within seconds of David de Gea keeping out a close-range effort from Conor Townsend, United strode to the other end and won a spot kick of their own after Darnell Furlong handled Juan Mata’s cross.

Fernandes took the 54th minute penalty, with his customary hesitation step, and saw Sam Johnstone make a superb one-handed save only for VAR to quickly - and rightly - rule that the keeper had stepped off his line before the kick was taken.

United’s Portuguese star needed no second invitation, striding up for the re-take and giving Johnstone no chance as he struck it into the opposite, left-hand, side.

There was more drama to come in the final half hour, starting when Albion sub Callum Robinson thundered a brilliant strike against the United crossbar.

Johnstone continued a busy evening when he made a superb close range save from Marcus Rashford, which the England man really should have scored, and did similarly well from a Harry Maguire effort. But given the difficulties his side have experienced at home so far this term, Solskjaer could be happy with the solitary goal.

United had started brightly enough and could have had the lead on either of two occasions inside the opening 16 minutes but for their former reserve keeper Johnstone, back and in goal for Slaven Bilic’s visitors.

After two minutes, a Juan Mata free-kick was headed goalwards by Anthony Martial and Johnstone punched clear, a save he improved upon later when Rashford’s pass was laid into Martial’s path by Fernandes and the French striker struck the ball too close to the keeper from a dozen yards.

Those were misses that summed up a lacklustre first half for Solskjaer’s side, seeking to avoid an unwanted statistic of opening a season without a win in any of their first five league games for just the third time in history.

There was also a failed penalty appeal that VAR rejected, after Matheus Pereira tugged at Martial’s shirt, and a great clearance from Townsend that thwarted Martial yet again.

But the evening might have taken a decided turn for the worse for the United manager but for his keeper de Gea.

A rare Albion attack saw Pereira thrust forward and play through an excellent pass for Karlan Grant whose effort took a slight deflection off Victor Lindelof before de Gea turned around his post. It was also a first half summed up when Baggies skipper Kyle Bartley bravely took a full-blooded Maguire shot straight in his face as United pressed again and the West Brom defender even managed to recover quickly enough to head a Gallagher corner over de Gea’s bar just before the whistle.

MANCHESTER UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea 7 - Wan-Bissaka 5, Lindelof 7, Maguire 6, Telles 6 - Fred 6 (McTominay 84), Matic 6 - Mata 5 (Cavani 63, 6), Fernandes 8, Rashford 6 (van de Beek 79, 6)- Martial 5. 

Subs (not used) James, Henderson, Williams, Tuanzebe.

WEST BROM (5–3-2): Johnstone 9 - Furlong 6, Ajayi 6, Bartley 7, Ivanovic 6 (Krovinovic 79, 5), Townsend 6 - Pereira 6, Sawyers 7, Gallagher 8 - Diangana 5 (Robson-Kanu 62, 5), Grant 5 (Robinson 62, 7). 

Subs (not used) Button, Robson-Kanu, Robinson, Phillips, Harper, O’Shea.

Referee: D Coote 6