Kick-off: 8PM
Venue: The Hawthorns
Live: Monday
Night Football on Sky Sports 1
Manchester United will be hoping to take
advantage of this weekend’s results and move back into the top four of the
Premier League when they travel to The Hawthorns on
Monday night to face West Brom.
United come into the game in good form having won
two on the bounce, beating West Ham 2-1 before edging past Everton with the
same result. Both the wins came at Old Trafford, the last away result being the
shock 5-3 drubbing by Leicester City.
The home side will fancy their chances though,
before the away defeat at Anfield in the previous fixture Alan Irvine's men
managed three consecutive victories over Burnley, Hull and Spurs.
A victory at West Brom would mean a first away
win in the job for Louis Van Gaal, who has thus far traveled to Sunderland, MK
Dons, Burnley and Leicester without any success.
Team News
Van Gaal has been hampered by injuries throughout
an indifferent start to the campaign under his watch. The dutchman has
already utilised 30 different players in the league this season, more than any
other club.
Defensive absences have been his main cause for
concern but at last there is some good news for the United manager on the
injury front as Ander Herrera (rib), Phil Jones (hamstring), Chris Smalling
(hip) and Michael Carrick (ankle) all return from injury. Johnny Evans (ankle)
and Antonio Valencia (hamstring) have not recovered and are still sidelined.
West Brom have some injury concerns of their own,
Chris Brunt is set to miss out with a groin injury, while Silvestre Varela,
Victor Anichebe and Brown Ideye are all nursing knocks.
Summary
United's injury problems have now
started to ease up, although Wayne Rooney is suspended for a further two games,
but Van Gaal claims no senior player can take their place for granted.
The Dutchman said: "Nobody is
walking back in my team. You have to earn it on the training ground, every
player knows that.
"I have great respect for the
players I use at this moment and I have also the confidence in these players.
"When you mention Rooney, Carrick
and Jones, of course they are great football players, but we have more great
football players. Sometimes the other football players are doing better. It is
not only the name."
Even with his recognised senior
defenders coming back from long layoffs, the Dutch coach says he isn't afraid
to stick with the younger performers.
He continued: "I have seen, for
example, the youngest player, (Paddy) McNair, was outstanding in his first
match. You have seen the reaction of the fans. Every time he touched the ball,
applause.
"Of course Jones, Evans and
Smalling were not available, but I am always thinking that youngsters can take
the job over, especially one or two games."
United have won three of the last five
meetings between these sides with West Brom's last victory coming in September
of last year at the start of David Moyes' short-lived spell in the Old Trafford
dugout.
United will be encouraged to shoot
from distance and make the most of set pieces with West Brom having conceded
four goals from outside the box, more than any other team this season.
This fixture always seems to provide
plenty of goals and with United having won only one of their last five Premier
League games on a Monday, the Baggies will be out to cause an upset and stop
United's momentum.
Star man Angel Di Maria has been
unplayable at times for his new club this season and strikers Robin Van Persie
and Radamel Falcao have been in goalscoring form during the international
break, so goals can be expected.
Prediction: West Brom 2-4 Man United
By @LeeGormley
