West Brom 0 Man Utd 3
Bryan Robson's old club repaid his years of loyalty by spoiling his big day
and marooning West Brom at the bottom of the Premiership.
The new Baggies boss saw his team hang on for 53 minutes before Paul Scholes'
brace and a header from Ruud van Nistelrooy breathed new life into United's
title challenge.
Robson had received a rapturous ovation from both sets of supporters in the
sell-out stadium on Saturday.
But that was as far as the goodwill went from the away end as Sir Alex
Ferguson's men single-handedly set about earning the three points they needed to
keep the pressure on leaders Chelsea.
It was neither pretty nor particularly effective but games seldom are at The
Hawthorns where the Baggies require every ounce of backs-to-the-ball tenacity to
compete with the Premiership's big-spenders.
Robson will take some solace from the way his side frustrated their
illustrious visitors during the first period but a shock result seldom appeared
on the cards.
Certainly from the moment Scholes struck from the edge of the box to break the
deadlock the result became a foregone conclusion and further headers from van
Nistelrooy and Scholes simply added gloss to a workmanlike win.
Albion had shown early ambition through Cosmin Contra on the right flank while
Rio Ferdinand was forced to head clear from the busy Zoltan Gera.
Gera came closest in the 18th minute when he beat Mikael Silvestre before
hitting a low shot from the edge of the box which was parried by diving United
keeper Roy Carroll.
The Hungarian proved an early thorn in United's side with his tireless work
but United were clearly content to sit back and bide their time after their
midweek Champions League exploits in France.
But Gera's was to be Albion's last clear-cut chance as United bided their
time.
Wayne Rooney almost gave United the lead out of nothing on 20 minutes with a
powerful long-range effort which skimmed past the foot of Russell Hoult's
left-hand post.
And the Baggies cause was further hindered by the first-half losses through
injury of both big defender Darren Moore and the impressive Contra.
Earnshaw tried a shot from long-range after a through-ball by Gera but it
proved no problem for Roy Carroll in the United goal.
And Rooney summed up United's fruitless start to the afternoon when he moved
to the edge of the Baggies box before hopelessly scuffing his his intended shot
just before the half-hour.
Not that there were any signs of panic, with Scholes shooting across goal and
Rooney heading over the bar on the stroke of half-time.
It was a different story in the second period as United pressed forward with
renewed purpose from the start.
Scholes finally put United ahead in the 53rd minute after finishing off a fine
move involving Giggs and Gabriel Heinze.
Giggs' flick found Scholes on the edge of the box and he fired a powerful
right-foot shot into the corner of the net to Hoult's right.
Moments later Rooney beat Andy Johnson and tested Hoult with a low drive the
keeper got down to gather.
United maintained their new-found momentum with Rooney just failing to reach
Giggs' corner in front of the Albion goal.
United grabbed their inevitable second in the 71st minute when van Nistelrooy
grabbed his fourth Premiership goal of the season.
Heinze headed Giggs' free-kick back across the face of goal where the Dutchman
was waiting to nod home from point-blank range.
And the third arrived in similar fashion with Albion's defence failing to deal
with Giggs' free-kick allowing Scholes to pounce and head home from
close-range.
Teams
West Brom Hoult, Scimeca, Moore (Gaardsoe 24), Purse, Clement,
Greening, Sakiri (Horsfield 75), Johnson, Gera,
Contra (Robinson 38), Earnshaw.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Hulse.
Man Utd Carroll, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze,
Fletcher (Ronaldo 72), Keane, Scholes, Giggs,
van Nistelrooy (Smith 75), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Howard, O'Shea, Fortune.
Goals: Scholes 53, van Nistelrooy 72, Scholes 82.
Att: 27,709
Ref: S Bennett (Kent).
