Manchester United’s title hopes fade but Solskjaer won't concede
West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (right) saves a shot from Manchester United's Harry Maguire at The Hawthorns. Picture: Michael Steele/PA
Manchester United supporters’ love for their club was tested on Valentine’s Day as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side surely kissed goodbye to any chance of winning the Premier League title.
United have dropped nine points in their last five games, a record which has left any lingering title hopes hanging by a thread.
They now trail leaders Manchester City by seven points with 14 games left, while City, who have won 10 in a row in the league, have a match in hand.
At The Hawthorns, they could point to Sam Johnstone’s amazing fingertip save to touch Harry Maguire’s header on to the post at the death.
They could point to goalline clearances that denied Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay and a penalty reversal by referee Craig Pawson.
But the truth is United, while stretching their unbeaten run to 18 games on the road, didn’t do enough to win this game.
Champions do not squander games like this and United do not bear the look of title winners.
Publicly at least, Solskjaer is refusing to concede the title to City.
“No one will give it (title) away this early,” said the United manager.
“The league is so unpredictable at the moment like life is so unpredictable. But we are not going to settle for second, of course we’re not.
“It’s disappointing of course — we’ve come away with two points less than we wanted.
“The start was difficult — they came at us early on and scored but we had 90 minutes to get two goals and we just couldn’t do enough.”
United have now failed to beat both teams at the foot of the table in recent weeks after losing at Sheffield United.
But Solskjaer insists there is no problem with the approach of his players to games against struggling opposition.
“The attitude is right — I have seen the focus and the work the coaches have done and I can’t fault the attitude at all,” he said.
“It’s about the quality because it doesn’t matter if you’re playing the team in fifth, 10th or 18th, you have to have that bit of ruthlessness in our finishing and we didn’t have that.”
Regarding the penalty United were denied, Solskjaer said: “It was a clear foul if you look at that clash between their centre-back and Harry.
“But I saw Harry standing in an offside position. So someone must be asleep at Stockley Park (VAR headquarters) so they need to brew some coffee.”
West Brom took the lead after just 80 seconds. Connor Gallagher swung in a cross from the right and Mbaye Diagne got across Victor Lindelöf to net with a stooping header.
It was the on-loan Galatasary striker’s first goal in English football on the 29-year-old’s 100th league appearance.
There were suggestions that Diagne had his hand across Lindelöf’s face but Pawson was unmoved.
It was the eighth time United had trailed in a Premier League away game this season but the first time they haven’t gone on to win it.
But United did not learn their lesson and conceded two more unmarked headers in the opening half-hour.
Diagne glanced wide from Matheus Pereira’s free-kick, then Robert Snodgrass’s header was tipped over the bar by David de Gea from Connor Townsend’s cross.
When Bruno Fernandes volleyed United level in the 44th minute, it was their first effort of the game.
Fernandes showed world-class technique, adjusting his body to hook Luke Shaw’s cross which was slightly behind him, while he also appeared to shout for team-mate Edinson Cavani to move out of the way.
It was a memorable effort for the 100th goal of the Portugal international’s career and his 19th of the season.
The moment of controversy came in the 62nd minute. Referee Pawson initially awarded a penalty, for a push by Semi Ajayi on Maguire at Fernandes’ free-kick, but changed his mind after viewing the pitchside monitor, even though the United captain appeared to be marginally offside.
United pushed on and twice went desperately close only to be denied by goalline clearances each time.
Greenwood’s shot was blocked by Johnstone’s right foot then McTominay’s follow-up was hacked away by Darnell Furlong.
But West Brom missed the chance to regain the lead when Diagne outmuscled Maguire to face De Gea in a one-on-one only to fire straight at the goalkeeper, who then nicked the ball off the striker’s head as he shaped to head in the rebound.
Diagne missed another superb chance when he ballooned over from point-blank range from Furlong’s cross on 87.
But Maguire thought he had won it right at the death only for his header to be superbly tipped on to the post by the fingertips of Johnstone.
West Brom head coach Allardyce was delighted with his team’s performance.
“The application was superb in the way we limited Manchester United to so few chances,” he said.
“Based on chances, we would have won this game because we had more of them than United so I’m really pleased with the performance.
“I see a squad of players getting better and if they apply themselves like that in every game, they will give themselves a chance of staying up.”
Johnstone 8; Peltier 6 (Furlong 46 mins, 7), Ajayi 7, Bartley 6, Townsend 6; Yokuslu 7 (Livermore 67 mins, 6); Snodgrass 6 (Phillips 87 mins, 6), Maitland-Niles 6, Gallagher 7, Pereira 7; Diagne 7.
Subs not used: Robson-Kanu, Robinson, Sawyers, Button, O’Shea, Grant.
Booked: Gallagher, Bartley, Maitland-Niles, Snodgrass, Diagne.
de Gea 7; Wan-Bissaka 6, Lindelöf 6, Maguire 8, Shaw 7; McTominay 7, Fred 6 (van de Beek 79 mins, 6); Rashford 8, Martial 6 (Greenwood 66 mins, 6) Fernandes 7; Cavani 6.
Bailly, James, Henderson, Telles, Matic, Williams, Tuanzebe.
Craig Pawson
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