PREVIEW: UNITED V WEST BROMWICH ALBION
When and where can I watch it? Manchester United return to Premier League action when West Bromwich Albion travel to Old Trafford on Saturday, with kick-off at 15:00 BST. The match won’t be televised in the UK but fans need not fear as you can follow the action via ManUtd.com’s match blog and the club’s Twitter account @ManUtd. MUTV subscribers can also watch Match Day Live from 14:00 BST, featuring radio commentary of the game, and will be able to watch the full 90 minutes from midnight.
Remind me where we’re at after the international break… After a fortnight during which most of the first team have been globetrotting with their countries, the domestic schedule makes a welcome return this weekend. Before the two-week hiatus, the Reds closed the gap on fourth place to four points with a 3-1 win at Middlesbrough – the club’s 600th victory in the Premier League era. United have been in formidable form in the league since October’s defeat at Chelsea and will look to extend the unbeaten run to an impressive 19 games when facing the Baggies. With 11 matches left to play and games in hand on the top-four rivals, Jose Mourinho’s men will be optimistic of securing a Champions League qualification place as the crucial period of the campaign begins in earnest. It’s the start of a busy month for the Reds, with the visit of West Brom the first of nine games in the Premier League and Europa League throughout April.
Any early team news? Mourinho confirmed on Wednesday that he is set to be without Paul Pogba, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling through injury, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ander Herrera sit out the final game of their respective suspensions. Daley Blind and captain Wayne Rooney could make their comebacks after missing the game at Middlesbrough, where Anthony Martial returned from injury himself as a late substitute. The boss may give a further update on the players’ condition in Friday’s pre-match press conference at the Aon Training Complex. Matt Phillips and Gareth McAuley are both doubtful for the Baggies but Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans and Ben Foster are all in line to face their former club.
How have West Brom been doing lately? Well, the Baggies are enjoying one of their best Premier League seasons and currently sit eighth in the table, having surpassed the 40-point mark that is typically seen as the benchmark to secure survival. Before the international break, Tony Pulis’s side bounced back from successive defeats against Everton and Crystal Palace with a thrilling 3-1 win at home to Arsenal, helped by a first Premier League brace from defender Craig Dawson. However, they have generally found life much tougher on the road and are still looking for their first away win of 2017, after draws at West Ham and Middlesbrough and heavy defeats at Everton and Tottenham so far.
What happened in the reverse fixture? The Reds gave fans something to cheer in our final game before Christmas with a richly deserved 2-0 win at The Hawthorns. As he has done so often this season, top scorer Ibrahimovic stole the show as the irrepressible no.9 found the net either side of half-time to ensure the Reds brought home the three points from the West Midlands.
How have we fared against the Baggies in the past? Historically, the Reds have done well against West Brom and will be looking for win number 56 in the 130th game between the clubs on Saturday, having also drawn 31 and lost 43. But United have come unstuck against Albion at home in recent seasons; indeed, Jesse Lingard’s first goal for the club and Juan Mata’s penalty in a 2-0 win over the 10-man Baggies last season came after Albion had won on their previous two trips to Old Trafford, while the Reds have only won three of the last eight meetings between the sides overall.
It'll be good to see their ex-Reds back at Old Trafford... Yes, goalkeeper Foster, defender Evans and midfielder Fletcher have all taken the route from Old Trafford to The Hawthorns in recent seasons and have been integral to Albion’s solid season so far, catching the eye in the superb win over the Gunners a fortnight ago. Skipper Fletcher has started every top-flight match since joining the club in February 2015 and is set to make an 83rd successive league start this weekend – a remarkable feat after battling back from a career-threatening illness during the latter stages of his successful 20-year spell with the Reds.
Who’s the man in the middle? Mike Dean will be the referee for Saturday’s game, with the Wirral-based official taking charge of his third United fixture of the season after overseeing September's 4-1 win over Leicester and January's 2-0 victory at West Ham. Dean has shown 107 yellow cards and five red cards in his 29 matches overall this term. He’ll be assisted by Jake Collin and Simon Long, with Peter Bankes taking on the role of fourth official.
Anything else I should know? United have won 15, drawn one and lost two of 18 Premier League games against teams managed by Pulis, who spent time at Stoke City and Crystal Palace before becoming West Brom's boss on New Year’s Day in 2015. This includes six victories and only one defeat at the Theatre of Dreams, which came against the Baggies in a 1-0 reverse in May 2015.
Who else is playing this weekend? There will be the usual full fixture list, with eight games on Saturday and two on Sunday, kicking off with a mouth-watering Merseyside derby at Anfield…
Saturday 1 April (15:00 BST unless stated)
Liverpool v Everton (12:30 BST)
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Hull City v West Ham United
Leicester City v Stoke City
Watford v Sunderland
Southampton v Bournemouth (17:30 BST)
Sunday 2 April
Swansea City v Middlesbrough (13:30 BST)
Arsenal v Manchester City (16:00 BST)
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