MANCHESTER UNITED have done just enough to beat West Brom on an evening when VAR controversy reigned at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes netted a retaken penalty after Sam Johnstone saved his first attempt but was adjudged to have moved off his line.
And just minutes earlier West Brom were awarded a spot kick which was overturned after the video official asked referee David Coote to review it.
GOODNIGHT FROM OLD TRAFFORD
After a tale of two penalties – or should that be three.
Manchester United have their first home league win of the season, but the circumstances of their victory were anything but convincing.
The 1-0 victory over West Brom was sealed by Bruno Fernandes’ penalty, retaken after the Portuguese midfielder’s first spotkick was brilliantly saved by Sam Johnstone – but only after the goalkeeper had moved early off his line.
A correct decision but harsh on Johnstone given his heroics throughout the contest, just as the initial penalty award for handball was the correct decision but harsh on Darnell Furlong given the frustrating change to the handball ruling this season.
What was harder for the Baggies to stomach was the foul on Connor Gallagher in the build-up to the incident that went unnoticed by both the on pitch and off pitch officials.
Yet that wasn’t even the foul on Connor Gallagher that drew the greatest fury among Albion followers.
Five minutes earlier, the Chelsea loanee was brought down by Fernandes in the box and won his side a penalty.
Then VAR got involved, encouraged David Coote to review his award and the decision was inexplicably reversed.
Ultimately, it means back-to-back wins for United for the first time this season, and moves them into the top half of the table, above their city rivals.
For West Brom, it’s no wins from their opening nine games to the season, but Slaven Bilic can take heart from a committed performance which deserved more.
If Albion continue to perform for the rest of the season as they did here tonight, then their relegation is by no means the certainty that has been made out.
Thanks for reading and goodbye.
OLE DELIGHTED
OIe Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed his joy in getting the monkey of no home wins this season off Manchester United’s back, but expressed sympathy with West Brom over their penalty that never was.
“It was important to get the first win at home.
“There’s been a lot said about it, and you could see we were a bit edgy towards the end.
“Like the game at Villa this afternoon, there’s contact on the man and on the ball [for West Brom’s overruled penalty].
“In my head, it might be a penalty and I think we’re a tad lucky. Perhaps the rules are different to how I interpret them.
“The season is going to be up and down, inconsistent and unpredictable.
“It’s very tight and very early on so points are more important than results sometimes.”
SLAVEN SPEAKS OUT
West Brom manager Slaven Bilic has kept his cool in his post-match interview but is clearly frustrated by the decisions that have gone against his side this evening.
We played good. We were in the game and had a few chances to score.
“When you play Manchester United away, you need your goalkeeper and he was brilliant.
“I’ve told the guys that I am very disappointed because we deserved something from this game. I’ve told them to stay positive and to keep fighting like this.
“I’m really disappointed with the decision [to overrule a West Brom penalty].
“During the whole of the second half, it felt like it was a case of small West Brom and all the crucial decisions went against us.
“The foul on Connor Gallagher is a clear penalty and I don’t understand why he overturned it.
“With their penalty, it is handball under the new rules. Before it though, it was another clear foul on Connor Gallagher.
“Instead of 1-0 to us, it’s 1-0 for them. When you play against Manchester United, it’s a huge difference. It’s crucial. It’s game over.”
ALBION HARD DONE BY
Adding insult to injury, not only have VAR intervened on a West Bromwich Albion penalty that should have stood, it has become apparent that the video officials failed to spot a foul by Fred on Connor Gallagher’s in the build-up to the incident that led to Manchester United’s penalty.
Slaven Bilic is going be one angry manager.
RIO RAGING
Rio Ferdinand has launched a scathing attack on the officials amid a discussion over VAR’s interference with the West Bromwich Albion penalty that never was.
FERNANDES FRONTS UP
Having scored the winning goal at the second attempt, and also been involved in the controversial incident that led to West Brom’s overturned penalty, Bruno Fernandes has spoken to BT Sport.
“It was really important for us to win this game. Not because it’s a first win at Old Trafford, but because we need points in the league.
“We create a lot of chances, but we have the quality to do much better.
“[For the West Brom penalty], I felt in the first moment that I touched the ball and in the second the contact was with the player.
“[For our penalty] it’s not good because you should score the first one despite what the goalkeeper does.
“We know we can do much better and we will do for sure.”
BRUNO LANDS KNOCKOUT BLOW
Once again, Bruno Fernandes was the matchwinner for Manchester United.
FT: MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
Manchester United win their first home league game this season after a dramatic and controversial second half in which Bruno Fernandes netted the only goal with a retaken penalty – moments after West Brom had a penalty of their own overturned on review.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THERE GOES THE FINAL WHISTLE!
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
90+2. A brilliant block by Furlong denies Martial from sealing the win.
The right-back recovers to get a vital touch on the shot after the striker had beaten his man inside the box.
Some of the defending and goalkeeping from West Brom this evening has been of the highest standard, but it looks as though it’s going to count for nothing.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
90+1. Cavani – sent off for Uruguay during the international break – receives a yellow card for catching Gallagher on the instep with his studs.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
90. The 90 minutes are up, but there are going to be a further four minutes of added time to be played.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
88. Slaven Bilic roars his team on from the touchline, attempting to spur them on for one final burst.
Meanwhile, Martial buys a foul off Ajayi and that will eat up some valuable seconds.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
86. The game is getting really stretched now as West Brom commit more men forward and legs tire.
Cavani and Van de Beek nearly work an opportunity behind the visitors defence, but Bartley stays alert and robust to the last.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
84. Scott McTominay comes on for Fred.
He’s probably just on because everyone in the United dugout is sick of hearing about Scotland’s penalty shootout victory in Serbia.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
83. West Brom get a lot of bodies forward into the United box, and the scene is set for Furlong to deliver on the run.
Unfortunately for the visitors, the full-back miscontrols and allows the ball to run out of play.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
79. A couple of changes. First United’s forgotten man Donny van de Beek is on for Marcus Rashford before Filip Krovinovic replaces Branislav Ivanovic.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
76. A first yellow card of the evening is shown to Connor Gallagher for a foul on Fred.
Moments later, a Fernandes corner is pulled back to the edge of the box where it is met by Alex Telles on the volley.
The left-back sends it well wide, but it is the second time he has met a Fernandes corner in such style tonight, conjuring up memories of Paul Scholes of old.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
75. Fred to wrap it up…
…but instead passes to Fernandes.
The Brazilian does brilliantly to tee himself up on the edge of the box with a flick but then inexplicably opts against the shot.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
74. Albion’s workrate continues to be impressive as the game enters its final stages.
Now is the time for the visitors to take a few more risks which might play into United’s hands on the break.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
71. It will be no surprise to hear that Johnstone has pulled off another save.
This is more routine, but the keeper still does well to get down low to deny Maguire at the near post.
BRUNO ON THE SPOT
Manchester United’s goalscorer has again shown himself to be lethal from 12 yards.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
67. Another outstanding save from Johnstone!
Rashford looks a certainty to score after Fernandes’ square pass across the six-yard box, but the former United goalkeeper shows great reflexes to tip the ball wide from point blank range.
The Albion number one does not deserve to end this contest on the losing side.
MAN UTD 1-0 WEST BROM
65. Robinson hits the crossbar!
The West Brom substitution almost makes a sensational introduction with a wonderful curling shot from the edge of the penalty area.
It has De Gea beaten all ends up, but crashes against the woodwork and bounces to safety.
ALBION PAY THE PENALTY
Bruno Fernandes scores at the second time of asking after his first spotkick was saved by Sam Johnstone..
However, the West Brom goalkeeper had come off his line illegally before the ball had been stuck.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
