United blow golden chance
Devils were wasteful and earn just a point at struggling West Brom; City in driving seat
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Bruno Fernandes volleying home on his weaker left foot against West Brom to equalise just before half-time. The midfielder's goal could not rouse Manchester United to a win, as the Baggies defence just about held the fortress for their first Premier League point in three games.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
West Brom 1
Manchester United 1
LONDON • There are more than three months left in the Premier League season but it is increasingly looking like Manchester City's title to lose.
Manchester United yesterday dropped two points after a 1-1 draw at strugglers West Bromwich Albion to fall seven points behind their city rivals and ahead of third-placed Leicester City (46) only on goal difference.
If City win their game in hand at Everton on Wednesday, their lead will stretch to 10 points, a sizeable gap even with more than a third of the season to play.
The second-from-bottom Baggies, who need a remarkable turnaround to avoid relegation as they remain 12 points adrift of safety, stunned the visitors in just the second minute with on-loan Senegalese striker Mbaye Diagne beating defender Victor Lindelof in the air to head home.
United looked out of sorts for the rest of the first half, but their inspirational Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes stepped up yet again in the 44th minute with a spectacular volley.
Since joining last January, he has been directly involved in 38 goals in his first 38 Premier League appearances (22 strikes and 16 assists), a statistic bettered by only Andy Cole (46). However, Fernandes and Co could not find the crucial breakthrough in what was an end-to-end second half.
The Red Devils had a penalty appeal turned down after captain Harry Maguire - trying to drive the team forward - was manhandled in the box.
Diagne twice went close with only David de Gea to beat in goal, while custodian Sam Johnstone, who was on the books at United as an academy player but never played a game with loan spells at seven different clubs, saved West Brom at the death, tipping Maguire's header onto the post.
The England defender later bemoaned the lack of a penalty decision for what he felt was a foul on him but admitted that his side were also guilty of squandering chances.
"We created a lot of chances - enough to win the game. It was tough for ourselves with the goal we conceded - for us, it was a foul," he said. "We played the game in their half. We can do more and improve but it's disappointing. It was a tough job against a team that defends deep. We were so certain it was a penalty.
"The clip was minimal but it was a penalty. It seems like the decisions are going against us. We can't be relying on VAR (video assistant referee) decisions - we have to improve."
But he is refusing to concede defeat in United's bid to win their first league title since 2012-13 - Alex Ferguson's final season in charge - despite the fading odds.
"Of course we are (still in the race)," he insisted.
"We have to go again and win the next one (at home to Newcastle on Sunday) and then the next one."
Earlier, Wolverhampton Wanderers mounted a second-half comeback to beat Southampton 2-1, avenging their 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round loss to the same opponents last week and inflicting the hosts' sixth league defeat in a row.
Danny Ings gave the hosts the lead but a Ruben Neves penalty and a superb Pedro Neto goal gave the visitors the win as they leapfrogged the Saints into 12th spot in the league, dropping Ralph Hasenhuttl's side to 13th.
REUTERS
