West Bromwich Albion 1 - Manchester United 1

Date:	Sunday 14th February 2021
Competition:	Premier League
WBA: 6.8	Johnstone 7.5, Peltier 5.3 (Furlong, 46 6.8), Ajayi 7.1, Bartley 7.2, Townsend 7.3, Yokuslu 6.9 (Livermore, 67 5.0), Snodgrass 6.1 (Phillips, 87 5.7), Maitland-Niles 5.6, Gallagher 7.4, Pereira 6.3, Diagne 7.7 Unused subs: Button, Robson-Kanu, Robinson, Sawyers, O'Shea, Grant Manager: Sam Allardyce 6.0
Man Utd: 5.5	de Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred (van de Beek, 79), Rashford, Fernandes, Martial (Greenwood, 66), Cavani Unused subs: Henderson, Bailly, James, Alex, Matic, Williams, Tuanzebe
Scorers:	Diagne (2); Fernandes (44)
Referee:	Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire) 6.1
Attendance:	0

Brendan Clegg:

Well that was pretty good and we should probably have taken all three points.

The starting lineup looked decent - Peltier probably the only real questionable inclusion.

We couldn’t have started better, effort, tempo, quality and ultimately desire from Diagne to score a header he had no right to get to put us ahead early.

And then we were good for the half. Solid, disciplined, no nonsense when was required but with enough quality to move it quickly through and up the pitch to arguably look the more dangerous side until disaster on the stroke of half-time when we, on the side that most of us feared would be vulnerable, we allowed a cheap cross. Great finish from Fernandes but we should’ve dealt with it on the cross and then by marking.

Second half was super frustrating as we both rode our luck but also created killer chances and situations you have to take. Diagne battled to win a one-v-one but couldn’t beat their goalie, Maitland-Niles almost unforgivably careless with his final ball on the break after fantastic play from Pereira and Snodgrass and then Diagne missing a sitter put on a plate by Furlong - low, lots of time to watch it. He had to score.

In the end a big SJ save in the last minute saved a point where just 10 seconds before Livermore blew a great chance to put us in 2 in 2.

Overall this was an Allardyce performance from an Allardyce team and had we got these players on the first of Jan we may have stood a chance but it is too much to ask. In fairness this is maybe his first opportunity to be judged on his own terms but surely he should’ve done better and adapted with the squad he had until he got them in to at least keep us in touch.

Being brutally honest, Okay and Diagne look the business and I’d honestly consider using them sparingly now because we cannot survive - and any chance we have of signing them permanently will disappear with the more games they play. They’ve already done enough for me!

On we go then, now a likely competitive side at this level that would stay up if the season started now, but trapped in purgatory until our fixtures are fulfilled.

SJ - 7 Some great saves and terrible kicking under no pressure. Seriously I’d sell him for a decent fee to fund an assault on the championship next season.
Pelts - 6 Did ok but we were better with Furlong there.
Ajayi - 7 Solid and quick. Enjoyed it.
Bartley - 7 Get him signed up. Fought for everything.
Townsend - 8 I thought, as always, he strained every sinew and for that you’ll forgive everything else. Will end his career with no regrets. Incredible desire to get forward.
Okay - 7 A mobile Yacob and moved the ball on so quickly. Sign him up if we can. Not even a debate.
Snodgrass - 7 Had a right go. Great quality and fight but looked done on 70.
Mainland-Niles - 6 Finding his feet but capable of getting up and down for those 50/50s. Pass should haunt him.
Gallagher - 7 A free pass to run all day and battle. He loved it.
Pereira - 7 Set plays were off but worked really hard and those moments of quality meant we were always in it.
Diagne - 7 Did so well so often but he had to finish another chance. Another we should sign - no question at all.

Furlong - 7 Should probably start if he can concentrate. Great engine.
Livermore- 6 Did a job.
Phillips - 6 probably needed him sooner.