Despite the club's form, fans are getting into the festive spirit at The Hawthorns...

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West Brom are yet to feel the bounce of a new manager after Alan Pardew took over from the sacked Tony Pulis.

The Baggies are currently on a club-record 16 game winless streak - dating back to August - and are yet to score in the three games Pardew has been in charge for.

Albion, though, have won three of the eight league meetings against Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

Liam Green: We (Manchester United) don’t have an outstanding central defender. None that can start attacks with one pass. All take too many touches and all very similar.

Dave: MUFC just need a left back and an attacking midfielder who can score goals regularly. Lingard has been decent, but we need world class. Like Hazard, De Bruyne, Coutinho or Eriksen.

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In any other season, 38 points after 17 games would be a respectable total and it may well have been a tight title race.

But Manchester United have run in to the juggernaut of Manchester City, who are dashing away with the Premier League trophy in some style.

Jose Mourinho's men can only concentrate on themselves, keep on winning and try to apply the pressure.

United are looking for a third consecutive away win in the top flight against West Brom today.

Ray Wilkins
Former England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

I think with the utmost respect, when Paul Pogba isn’t fit, Manchester United play a different type of football. Matic sits in and Mata plays with Pogba. But when he’s not there Herrera comes in with Matic and they lose that creativity.

He’s so important. He can score, create, defend – the complete midfield player. Whenever they play at home, for years gone by, at Old Trafford they play on front foot. You wait for that red tidal wave to hit you. It comes in floods. But it didn’t happen against Manchester City, they couldn’t get the ball.

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West Brom make just one change to the side that drew 0-0 at Liverpool last time out.

Young Scot Oliver Burke makes his first league start for the Baggies, coming in for Hal Robson-Kanu.

Albion XI: Foster, Nyom, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs, Burke, Livermore, Yacob, Krychowiak, McClean, Rondon.

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Manchester United make three changes following the narrow win against Bournemouth in midweek.

Ashley Young, Ander Herrera and Marcus Rashford return to the side, Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial drop out.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Jones, Young, Herrera, Matic, Lingard, Mata, Rashford, Lukaku.

Jermaine Jenas
Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

That game against City was a massive realisation to United that they're just not near it. As much as they’ve improved, they're far off it. It rocked them a bit.

When your record signing [Romelu Lukaku] is getting a bit of grief for his performance, I thought it was harsh. The position he was put in from the set pieces was right. It didn’t make sense to me. That’s why he didn’t celebrate when he scored this weekend, I think. He’s obviously unhappy with the amount of support being given to him.

Could Celtic's looooong unbeaten run finally be coming to an end today?

Brendan Rodgers's side are 2-0 down against Hearts in the first half.

Head here to follow the match

Kevin Kilbane
Former Everton winger on MOTD2 Extra

Watching Manchester City yesterday, they were unbelievable, because if one player is just a little bit off the mark, they have another player ready to step up. Manchester United have got to live with that.

They have to come here and get a result because with the way City are playing, it looks like the lead is slipping away from United.

BBC Radio 5 live

The build-up to today's games is under way on BBC Radio 5 live.

Conor McNamara is alongside former West Brom winger Kevin Kilbane at The Hawthorns, while there is full commentary from Vitality Stadium with Alistair Bruce-Ball and ex-England defender Terry Butcher.

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Boss Antonio Conte said Chelsea's form is being "forgotten" because of Manchester City's record-breaking run, after the Blues beat Southampton to make it eight wins in 10 Premier League games.

Marcos Alonso's winner sent Chelsea level on points with second-placed Manchester United, who boast a better goal difference and face West Brom today.

"Someone is forgetting this run, because there is a team winning every game," said Conte.

"I want to remember that in the last 10 games, we won eight games, drew only one game against Liverpool away and lost only one game, at West Ham."

Read the full piece

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on MOTD2 Extra

I think Roy Hodgson a fantastic coach. There has been criticism of him as a manager, is he strong? No, but he knows how to set up a team. He has done brilliantly in a short space of time. Crystal Palace are solid and stable defensibly and have a star man in Wilfried Zaha going forward.

I played under Roy at Blackburn and the first session we did was him saying "we will not concede a goal from a long ball". Palace have gone back to basics and his remit was to keep them from relegation.

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What a resurgence this has been...

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson said Christian Benteke delivered on a pledge to make amends for his penalty miss last weekend as the Eagles climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone with a rare away win over Claude Puel's resurgent Leicester.

Benteke cost Palace victory over Bournemouth when the injury-time spot-kick hewas not supposed to takewas saved, but the striker redeemed himself by opening the scoring against the Foxes with a first-half header from Andros Townsend's cross - his first goal of the campaign.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson said Benteke "held his hands up" in training after last week's match and had promised to "make things up" to his team-mates.

"That's exactly what he has done," Hodgson added. "He's a quality striker and it wasn't just his goal that pleased me about his performance."

Read the full piece

Ian Wright
Former Arsenal & England striker on Match of the Day

Jack Wilshere is one of Arsenal's top quality players. His technical ability, his drive, when he does get the ball he's looking to penetrate and hurt you.

His weight of pace, his appreciation of the pass, everything.

If he is fit, he should be in that midfield.

Cass Blakeman: Just like Dele Alli this season, Mark Hughes has been ridiculously over-rated as a manager. Laughable at #QPR, external, on a par with Gordon Strachan

Mark: We all know what's going to happen at Stoke. Pulis will end up back in the dugout.

Marcus de stilj: Mark Hughes was just like this at #qprfc, external Deservedly replaced there as well

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Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez said his side "need something in January" after they dropped into the relegation zone with a fourth straight defeat at Arsenal.

The Magpies have lost eight of their last nine Premier League games, gaining just one point from a 2-2 draw at West Brom.

They rose to as high as fourth earlier in the season, and were in sixth place after beating Crystal Palace on 21 October,their last win to date.

"We'll try to bring in some additions that will bring a lift to the team," said Benitez.

Mesut Ozil's brilliant volleyed goal in the first half was enough for Arsene Wenger's side, who dominated until Newcastle rallied late in the game.

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on MOTD2 Extra

I think defensively they've been awful. 39 goals conceded, that's two per game. To say, Mark Hughes has never been in a relegation battle simply doesn't matter.

West Ham out-fought Stoke yesterday and I think Mark Hughes is on the brink. There's thousands of fans that want him out. I think the Stoke board will be in a dilemma where when will be the right time to sack him?

Do they show him loyalty and give him the next few games, which are winnable or do they get rid of him over the Christmas period to get ready for next year? But they are conceding goals at an alarming rate and they're in trouble.

Sue Smith
Former England forward on MOTD2 Extra

Mark Hughes knows at the moment the board are backing him but once the fans turn and there is more pressure... the game against West Brom is a must-win. If they don't he is in big trouble. They are simple defensive errors they are making and it is continuous.

It is an identity thing. You knew going to Stoke it would be tough and they would be hard to break down. It isn't that anymore. Teams go there thinking they can get something.

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender on Match of the Day

They are saying behind the scenes that Mark Hughes has the support of the owners, but West Brom up next is a big one.

He is a man with dignity, but he will be tested now to the limit.

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Down at the bottom...

Stoke manager Mark Hughes said fan unrest was "understandable" after a 3-0 home defeat by West Ham increased the pressure on him.

The Potters have now lost five of their past six and conceded the most goals in the Premier League, and chants of "Hughes out" and "sacked in the morning" greeted the final whistle.

This latest defeat, which included a penalty by Mark Noble that Hughes accused West Ham's Manuel Lanzini of diving to win, put Stoke one point and one place above the relegation zone.

Further goals from ex-Stoke player Marko Arnautovic and Diafra Sakho added to their misery in a loss that came a week after fans at a train station vented their anger at the Potters squad following a 5-1 thrashing by Tottenham.

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