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Ash Young strikes late (via a deflection) to lead United to a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion…

Match Report – West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Manchester United

Competition: Barclays Premier League
Kick-Off & Date: 4pm, Sunday, 14th August 2011
Venue: The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (Away)
Attendance: 25,360


Manchester United got their Premier League title defence off to a winning start, thanks to a late winner from Ashley Young against West Bromwich Albion, at The Hawthorns. With Premier League debuts handed to three Reds, the starting XI was young and inexperienced. That didn’t stop Wayne Rooney putting the away side ahead, but not so long after Shane Long – on his own debut – equalised. But The Devils had the last laugh through ‘The Youngster’…
 
Sir Alex Ferguson started with many fringe players, as the average age of just 24 showed. David De Gea was entrusted with the gloves once again, while old heads Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand controlled the defence, along with Chris Smalling and Fabio Da Silva. Ash Young and Luis Nani were wide as will become custom this term, with Tom Cleverley and Oliveira Anderson playing in the centre behind Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck. 

Both sides’ opening domestic league fixture got off to a quick start, but the away club were enjoying most of the possesion and many early opportunities. Paul Scharner then tested De Gea for West Bromwich Albion, before – 13 minutes in – The Red Devils broke free and scored the first goal of the game in the midlands. Rooney back-flicked to Young, who repaid Wayne with a juicy pass on the edge of the box. Wazza turned and beat Ben Foster on his left… 
Wayne Rooney strikes a 13th minute opener to put The Champions 1-0 up

United took a deserved lead through a nice piece of play that originated with Fabio. Sir Alex’s men could have found themselves further ahead if Rooney and then Nani found the target, while the Portuguese winger – fresh from his heroics against Manchester City at Wembley last Sunday – should have beaten Foster from a corner rebound, but instead fired over the bar. Welbeck was working well up front, but The Reds couldn’t stretch their lead.  

Either side sported black armbands in respect to those who died during mindless rioting in England over the past week, while a ‘Get Well Soon’ message was worn by West Brom for unwell kitman of 50 years, Dave Matthews. Shane Long – making his debut for Albion – created a chance for Scharner, whose effort was foiled by De Gea. The home side were finding their way back into the game, and a goal was on everyone’s lips around The Hawthorns. 

Long escaped the challenge of Smalling and Cleverley in United’s box, catching De Gea unaware at his left post, and struck past the Spaniard to get his WBA career off to a flyer. The 24-year-old Irish striker was snapped-up by Roy Hodgson for a bargain £6.5 Million from Championship outfit Reading, where he has had previous experience in the top flight during their promotion in 2006. However, there was some amount of luck in Long’s first goal for the club. 
New boy Shane Long finds an equaliser for WBA in the 37th minute of the game

De Gea, who received undue criticism from footie pundits last weekend, watched Chris Brunt volley over the bar before he punched Somen Tchoyi’s cross away. The match died-down a little heading towards half-time, but there was no doubt that West Brom went down the tunnels the happier. Early in the second period, captain Vida was forced off through a knock, with Jonny Evans replacing the Serbian powerhouse. Bad news on the injury front !

Shortly afterwards, the lively Welbeck was hauled-off in place of Dimitar Berbatov. Rooney headed poorly wide from a Nani free, before Phil Jones came on to cope with another loss through injury – this time Rio limped off. In the latter stages of the tie, neither side threatened too much, but United remained on top. 1-1 quickly changed to 2-1 in the visitors’ favour though, thanks to some wing wizardry from summer signing: Former Aston Villa flanker Ashley Young.

With 9 minutes remaining on the clock, Berbatov passed to Young on the left, who skipped past Chris Brunt and his shot/cross/pass took two deflections; firstly off Gabriel Tamas and decisively Steven Reid to take the ball past former Red stopper Ben Foster and into the back of the net. De Gea was roughed up, but thwarted any late West Brom danger. United’s first League game finished in a victory, with a traditionally late winner (arguably an own-goal)…

We’re back in business. 
Ashley Young creates a late winner for United in the 81st minute !

United Team: David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic (Jonny Evans ’52), Fabio Da Silva, Rio Ferdinand (Phil Jones ’76), Oliveira Anderson, Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young, Luis Nani, Danny Welbeck (Dimitar Berbatov ’65), Wayne Rooney.

Goals: Rooney ’13, Steven Reid (Own-Goal) ’81
Bookings: Young ’56, Anderson ’78

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Comments

Brian Ross

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 6:57:10 pm

Made hard work of this, but a win is a win

 

l33bo

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 6:57:57 pm

where are the fans that said he was a bad signing

 

Arfaan11

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 7:02:03 pm

Well playd young,unlucky De Gea keep ur head up

 

StevO

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 7:02:17 pm

One Helluva Game! United…United… We love you!!!

 

Bill McNeal

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 7:39:30 pm

l33bo – Beat me to that comment!

Great that the footy is back! Barely 90 minutes in and we’re already making hard work of it. This is the type of game we’ll look back on in May 2012 and hopefully be saying “this game was key in getting us number 20”.

Oh, and 2 points clear of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool already! 3 points clear of Tottenham and City!!!

 

Pajonse

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 7:51:11 pm

six weeks without Ferdinand and four weeks without Vidic!!! Fuck!!!

 

very true

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 7:53:32 pm

@ billy
we are ahead of tottenham and city because the did not play yet but i hope they loose
ggmu

 

Alihou

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 7:55:51 pm

i also thought de gea is our best signing and ash is our worst! after this match my opinions completely changed!

 

Tom

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 8:54:28 pm

De gea is just nervous, there’s loads of pressure on him being at Utd. Plus trying to fill van der sar’s boots. Also the language barrier won’t help. He’ll pull through just needs time.

 

Bill

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 9:31:41 pm

Still short in midfield

 

Bill McNeal

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:04:30 pm

Short in midfield?

We were able to bench Michael Carrick alongside Ji and Giggsy, Antonio Valencia and Darren Fletcher were nowhere in sight, and Darrob Gibson, Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison at the bottom of the pecking order.

We managed to dominate possession against a revived West Bromwich with 2 players making their Manchester United début, and another who has been maligned by plenty of United fans since his arrival 4 years ago.

Short in midfield my arse!

 

l33bo

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:08:53 pm

sorry Billy jus thought I’d comment
loads and loads were saying that ash young was a poor signing he’s world class and will create even more goals for Rooney n Hernandez

 

l33bo

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:10:01 pm

dnt think were short in midfield jus missing abit of steele in midfield

 

David

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:39:28 pm

Still think we miss a bit of magic particulary in midfield

 

Ranks

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:25:20 pm

Fergie confirmed Rafael is out for 10 months and needs an op, Ferdinand is out for 6 weeks and will miss the Arsenal and Chelsea and Arsenal games, Vidic could be out for 2 weeks. On the positive side Hernandez is back training in 10 days

 

mihawk

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:54:58 am

Need CM i think…

 

Bren

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 1:38:32 am

Papers linking us with 20m Goetze from Germany- hope so class player would suit the premiership alex should see if he could get kagwa with him another class act

 

PD

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 1:24:41 pm

We’re not short of bodies in midfield but we are short of a bit of class.

Whilst we have the numbers and Ando/Tom did quite well yesterday, there will be much tougher opposition ahead and I thought they were caught a few times with easy balls through the middle to the WBA forwards. Better teams will punish that.

They will of course learn and get better but i’d still like another top class centre mid in the squad. Be that one of any number mentioned over the last few weeks. Ideally Gotze who looks top drawer but if we’re to believe Fergie there will be no-one else.

I for one hope he’s bluffing cos on yesterday’s evidence I personally think we need it.

 

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 6:30:31 pm

It is a good start for manchester united but believe me without a new midfield we are still nothing against barca and premiership is a problem for us without mid field

 

Comments are closed.
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