Manchester United v West Brom

1. Man Utd XI: De Gea; Young, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Carrick, Schweinsteiger; Mata, Lingard, Martial, Rooney.
2. WBA XI: Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt, Morrison, Fletcher, Yacob, McClean, Sessegnon, Rondon.

Right, that's all from me so head on over to our main live football page for all the reaction.

'It's been better'

Jermaine Jenas

Former Tottenham and England midfielder on Final Score

"United have improved in this second half. Not too many people in the stadium will be off their feet, but it's been better. But I still want to see more players dribbling the ball, taking others on."

FULL-TIME

All over and Manchester United have the three points.

GOAL - Man Utd 2-0 WBA

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And Juan Mata calmly finishes from the spot to secure victory.

PENALTY TO MAN UTD

Gareth McAuley brings down Anthony Martial and it's a penalty to Manchester United. McAuley is also sent off.

Did someone tell Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger not to touch it in the opposition penalty box? Only once so far. 

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'Staggering to see Man Utd now'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

 "When you think how this team used to attack three or four years ago and the number of opportunities they used to create, it's staggering to see them now. But they look like they're going to win the game and be near the top of the league."  

SUBSTITUTION

Time is running out for West Brom, they have not won in over 20 Premier League games in which they have conceded first, and Tony Pulis has one last throw of the dice, bringing on Callum McManaman for Chris Brunt.   

SUBSTITUTION

Wayne Rooney's afternoon is over. He is substituted, to applause and chants of "Rooney, Rooney" from the home fans, with Ander Herrera on for the closing stages.

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SUBSTITUTION

A big moment for 18-year-old Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. He is on for his debut as Marcos Rojo goes off with what appears to be a minor injury. Can he help see this one out?

'Berahino took his eye off it'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

“Best cross of the game. Saido Berahino must have just completely taken his eye off it. He’s in the middle of the six-yard box – either side of David De Gea and it’s 1-1.”

CLOSE!

So close for West Brom! Saido Berahino is handed an absolute gift of a chance as Craig Dawson sends a cross into the area, inch perfect for the striker, but he heads over from yards out. Big chance.

SUBSTITUTION

West Bromwich boss Tony Pulis is willing to take risks and is going for it. On come Saido Berahino and Rickie Lambert for James Morrison and Salomon Rondon. 

It isn't really happening for Wayne Rooney today. 

He's been dropping deeper and deeper as the game has gone on, but on one of the few occasions he is close to the West Brom area, poor decision-making lets him down as he allows a pass to run through his legs and on to no-one.

Poor from the forward, or were his team-mates guilty of not being on the same wavelength?

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YELLOW CARD

Oohhh, Chris Brunt is a lucky, lucky man. The West Brom midfielder contests a loose ball with Juan Mata but he was never going to get to it before the Manchester United winger and instead plants his outstretched boot in Mata's ankle. Yellow card, could have been a red.

SUBSTITUTION

And Phil Jones does indeed come on, replacing Ashley Young at right back. Looks like Louis van Gaal is looking to protect the one-goal advantage.

YELLOW CARD

A couple of yellow cards in quick succession as first Salomon Rondon is booked for a late challenge, before Marcos Rojo trips Stephane Sessegnon.

Meanwhile, Phil Jones is getting ready to come on...

Almost an opportunity for a second for Manchester United as Michael Carrick spots space ahead of Bastian Schweinsteiger on the edge of the West Brom area and tries to feed the ball to his team-mate. The pass has too much power, though, and Schweinsteiger can't prevent the ball from going out of play.

'Lingard must be producing a lot in training'

Jermaine Jenas

Former Tottenham and England midfielder on Final Score

"Two things are really impressive with the goal - his touch gets it up on the bounce and he managed to bend his shot on the half-volley.

"He must be producing a lot in training to prove to Van Gaal that he should be selected ahead of the expensive signing Depay."

'I really like Lingard'

John Hartson

Former Arsenal and West Ham striker on Final Score

"Lingard played well against CSKA Moscow, and after Martial got the ball into the box West Brom failed to clear. Lingard controlled the ball with his studs then whipped it in. I really like the player - he has real quality."

Right then, we might just have a game on our hands now. West Brom are surely going to have to abandon their cautious tactics which in turn should give Manchester United more opportunities.

'Very cool'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"He took it brilliantly. It was very cool. He opened his body and bent it around the defender - no chance for Boaz Myhill. His technique was fabulous."

GOAL - Man Utd 1-0 WBA

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This game needed a moment of quality and it arrives via the boot of Jesse Lingard. The ball comes to the winger just outside the area, he takes one touch, before bending a shot just inside the far post for his Manchester United goal. Lovely finish.

No half-time changes?

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"Man United to the naked eye have changed nothing at half-time, they're just going to keep trying to make the breakthrough. Some players are warming up, but why not make the change at half-time rather than five minutes into the second half."

Manchester United resume with the same level of tempo from the first half. Low. Bastian Schweinsteiger has a little surge forward, before stopping and squaring a pass to Michael Carrick. 

'Nobody goes past anybody any more'

Jermaine Jenas

Former Tottenham and England midfielder on Final Score

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"At Old Trafford, nobody goes past anybody any more. It's just passing around, nobody taking any risks. West Brom can play against that kind of football all day."

'United will have to put more pressure on West Brom'

John Hartson

Former Arsenal and West Ham striker on Final Score

"I'd give Manchester United only five out of 10 for their performance so far today. Mata and Martial have both gone close, and so they should be in front. But they are not.

"They will have to put more pressure on West Brom in the second period - the crowd will demand it."

KICK-OFF

West Brom get us back under way...

Manchester United return to the pitch, a good minute before the West Brom players do. 

Louis van Gaal clutches his folder as he makes his way to his seat. I wonder what notes he has scribbled down from the first half?

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Colin Reid: Game crying out for Herrera in place of Schweinsteiger to inject some pace and creativity

Serge Tchwenko: No pace, no imagination. Has there been a more boring Manchester United side in recent memory?

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If it is any consolation, Manchester United fans, it is hardly goals galore in the other games in the Premier League today...

Bastian Schweinsteiger's passing has not been particularly positive today but 86% of them (green arrows) have found their target.

There are, though, a lot of sideways passes in there...

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Roy in Manchester: Watching Man Utd is painful. No matter how hard you try to like it you can't get away from this mish-mash of utility players. But if you take Rooney out of the equation you can choose almost any formation with every single player in their preferred position. Try it.

Manninder from London: LVG plays Rooney in the middle and now the fans are complaining about the two holding midfielders. Just stop complaining and start getting behind the team!

Old Trafford like 'a library'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"Tony Pulis will be pleased. There have been a few, little scares but nothing for West Brom to worry about. It has become a library here. It's a very dull game. Man United are lacking ideas."

HALF-TIME

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A Chris Brunt free-kick deflects off the wall and goes out for a corner. Brunt, again, is no rush to take it. He won't get the chance to anyway as the half-time whistle goes.

Two minutes of added time, the first half coming to an end just as Manchester United appear to have found their groove.

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...Wayne Rooney takes the free-kick but it is cleared, only as far as Anthony Martial though, who opens up space for himself on the edge of the area and shoots...straight at Boaz Myhill. Finally, a shot on target.

YELLOW CARD

Jesse Lingard skips past Craig Dawson on the left wing and Dawson pulls the Manchester United winger back. Yellow card and free-kick for the hosts...

Wait for the lunge

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"You could see Jonny Evans was going to lunge in. A player with a bit more experience might have waited for the tackle and gone round him."

"Attack, attack, attack," chant the home fans, and so Manchester United do. Jesse Lingard races forward, into the area but just as he is about to strike, Jonny Evans stretches out a boot and deflects the ball behind. Better from the hosts.

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Frank in Cwmbran: A visit from Pulis's West Brom is always stultifying.

Martin from Oxford: Why does LVG insist on playing two holding midfielders against weaker Premier League opposition!

At the game Adam? Go home, watch War and Peace, go back to Old Trafford and there probably still won't have been a goal scored, 0-0 written all over this one.

Oh no. We are 35 minutes in and Chris Brunt appears to be running down the clock already. The visitors win a corner, which Brunt strolls over to take. A goal for the Baggies would certainly shake things up, but the set-piece is cleared.

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Gareth Soye: If only we were awarded a goal for every time LVG made a note or Giggsy looked sad we'd be walking the title

Kunal Khanna: It's actually more non-Utd fans who want Rooney dropped. Utd fans know how much he does for the team and want him to come good

'Moans and groans'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"Bastian Schweinsteiger had it on the edge of the area and the crowd wanted him to shoot - there were a few moans and groans. They can't pick a pass through a packed West Brom defence."

Brilliant ball from Juan Mata, curled deep towards the far post where Jesse Lingard is ghosting in and looks certain to score, but Craig Dawson does superbly to head behind. 

From the corner, Bastian Schweinsteiger hooks the ball wide.

I wonder if Craig popped along to see his brother, Andy, in action for Salford City in the FA Cup last night? He made a vital clearance off the line to help Salford beat Notts County.

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Michael Carrick then lifts a smart ball into the area for Anthony Martial, but his attempt to bring it under control is deemed to be a handball. Free-kick to West Brom.

A moment of excitement for home fans as a ball from Juan Mata catches out an until now well disciplined West Brom defence, Bastian Schweinsteiger is momentarily through on goal, but he inexplicably takes the ball out of the area and passes back to Michael Carrick. Chance gone.

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Phil Johnson: United remind me of Karate Kid and Mr. Miyagi....show me side to side.

Nicholas Richards: Michael Carrick's passes look like the only things that are going to beat the WBA defensive wall.

Salomon Rondon isn't going to have a busy afternoon by any stretch of the imagination, but he is in action now as West Brom embark on a first attack of the game through James McClean. He tries to find Rondon with a cross into the area, but the ball is just over his head.

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Another victory for possession football so far for Louis van Gaal, but you just sense the fans are starting to get a little restless. That was a good effort by Juan Mata but 20 minutes in and no shots on target...

CLOSE!

Good awareness from Wayne Rooney as he lets a pass run by him on the edge of the area before turning and pushing the ball on for Juan Mata. The midfielder attempts to bend a shot towards the far post...just wide. Good football from the hosts, though.

Anthony Martial and Jonny Evans go shoulder to shoulder on the right side of the area. Good strength from Martial as he wins that battle and crosses low into the area for Wayne Rooney, but the ball is behind his team-mate and the Baggies sweep up again.

'You don't need Michael and Bastian'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"You do not need Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger in the same team, especially when teams come here and sit back anyway."

Wayne Rooney, great first touch and turn on the edge of the box. He has sight of goal, 'shooooot' urge the home fans and the forward obliges...sending a shot high into the stands. 

Jonny Evans races in and clatters Ashley Young as the Manchester United full-back scampers down the wing in pursuit of a pass. Young, on the floor, stretches out a hand to his former team-mate Evans, but he snubs it. No friends today.

Big Ron

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"He's a big lump isn't he Salomon Rondon? He's a big old boy.

"West Brom are sat in, letting the United back four have the ball. In terms of a spectacle I think we need West Brom to score first.

West Brom have two banks of four sitting just outside their box as Manchester United try to find a way through. 

Wayne Rooney exchanges passes with Bastian Schweinsteiger, trying to create something, but the visitors' defence does its job as they force United backwards.

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A first touch of the game from Anthony Martial, who drifts wide to collect a pass down the line. Wayne Rooney heads into the box, waiting for the cross, but former Manchester United man Jonny Evans is across to pressure Martial and the ball goes out of play.

Pulis switches it up

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"Straight away Tony Pulis has moved James McClean over to the right side and Stephane Sessegnon to the left. He's looked at how United have lined up and made that switch before we started."

Have Manchester United burst out of the blocks? Nope. It is, perhaps as to be expected, a patient start by the hosts, who have Anthony Martial leading the attack, with Wayne Rooney just behind. Both are waiting to make their first contribution of the opening exchanges.

KICK-OFF

A minute's silence is observed for for Remembrance Day before Manchester United get things under way.

'Rooney appears to have lost his anger of old'

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Mark Ogden, north of England football reporter at the Daily Telegraph on 5 live Sport: "A lot of time Wayne Rooney has been sacrificed in formations for the benefit of other players. Have we ever had a full season of him up front on his own with the team suited to him? Perhaps now he's lost the knack of playing as a centre-forward. 

"Plus, he appears to have lost his anger of old. He's content, he's the captain of Manchester United, and he looks too happy to me."

Wayne Rooney scored the winner against CSKA Moscow in midweek to move joint second alongside Denis Law on Manchester United's all-time scorers list with 237 goals.

However, his Premier League return this season leaves a lot to be desired, with just two goals in 10 games. 

He leads the United team out on to the pitch. Big performance needed from him today.

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Little Lou

Marouane Fellaini is so tall we can only get half of Lou Macari's head here! 

Speaking of Fellaini, it will be interesting to see what Louis van Gaal's Plan B is today, with the midfielder missing out through injury.

'United have a slowness'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender at Old Trafford for BBC Radio 5 live

"West Brom will sit in today, and United have a slowness now when they move the ball. I would have Michael Carrick in this team every match, because once he receives the ball he looks up, looks forward. He helps make this team much better."

What score has Lawro predicted? Check out his Premier League predictions here.

'This is still a period of transition'

Mark Ogden, north of England football reporter at the Daily Telegraph on 5 live Sport: "Manchester United have been boring this season. It is not what the fans are used to, though I think they accept this is still a period of transition."

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Manchester United don't concede many, in fact they've let in just the one goal at home in the league all season. 

However, they have had hardly been prolific at the other end of the pitch, scoring just once in the previous four games.

This could be a long, long afternoon...

Who is Borthwick-Jackson?

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Louis van Gaal has included 18-year-old Cameron Borthwick-Jackson on the bench today.

The teenager is primarily a left-back, but can also play at centre-back.

He joined United in July 2013 and has represented England at schoolboy level and. Last season, he made 31 appearances for the Under-18s ‒ more than any other United player at that level.

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'It's very safety-first'

Mark Lawrenson

Former Liverpool defender at Old Trafford for BBC Radio 5 live

"United play with two holding players and I think you only need one at most. And stick Martial down the middle - defenders hate pace, so play him up front with Rooney behind him, and you have a different-looking side instantly. 

"The defence is firm but it's very safety-first in front of it."

Playing it safe?

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The fans called for attacking football in midweek, but Louis van Gaal appears to have not caved into their demands, judging by his team selection.

Two defensive midfielders, in the shape of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick, start against the Baggies.

Thoughts, Manchester United fans?

Team news

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Louis van Gaal names the same Manchester United XI that secured a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League in midweek. That means Anthony Martial leads the attack, with Wayne Rooney just behind. Teenager defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, 18, is on the bench.

Man Utd XI: De Gea; Young, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Carrick, Schweinsteiger; Lingard, Mata, Martial, Rooney. Subs: Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, Jones, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Pereira, Memphis

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For WestBrom, Saido Berahino drops to the bench with James Morrison coming into the starting XI.

WBA XI: Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt, Morrison, Fletcher, Yacob, McClean, Sessegnon, Rondon. Subs: Lindegaard; Olsson, Chester, Gardner, Lambert, Berahino, McManaman

Attack, attack, attack

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Manchester United versus West Brom. Two teams who have attempted the fewest shots in the Premier League, it hardly sets the scene for a classic.

But United fans have spoken. They want attacking football. Will they get their wish?

Welcome to our live page for Manchester United v West Brom. You can hear full match commentary on BBC Radio 5 live by using the audio icon and we'll have text commentary here from 14:30 GMT. You can keep up to date with all the action from today's other Premier League games here and FA Cup games here.