WHY CAN’T ROM DO THIS WEEK AFTER WEAK?
Lukaku often goes missing when it matters, but was back to his rampant, goal-scoring best against the Baggies... he should be careful or he’ll get a reputation as a FLAT-TRACK BULLY
NORMAL service has resumed for Manchester United’s £75million flat-track bully.
Romelu Lukaku does not score in the big games, drew a blank against Manchester City when it mattered last week, but was back to his usual self at the Hawthorns.
Lukaku scored the opener for his 15th goal of the season for United – his 10th in the Premier League – but has not scored against any of their top-six rivals.
He scores against the strugglers for fun.
We already seem to be picking the bones out of United’s season. Second is nowhere as far as Jose Mourinho is concerned and, rather worryingly, they were even left hanging on in the dying stages at struggling West Brom.
It is easy to forget this is the Reds’ best start to a season since Sir Alex Ferguson left. They have 41 points after 18 games – they had 33 at the same stage last term – and yet City are making everyone else look bad.
Even the United fans joined in, as they poked fun at themselves after City’s players had posted a video on social media, chanting: “Park the bus, park the bus, Man United.”
The United fans added an extra line after Jesse Lingard made it 2-0, as they sang: “Park the bus Man United, playing the Mourinho way.” Then West Brom fans sang it ironically, as United defended for their lives in the last 13 minutes, after Gareth Barry pulled one back.
United never really got the pulses racing, despite fielding an attacking line-up, with Marcus Rashford, Lingard and Juan Mata behind Lukaku.
But they found the Baggies resilient in the first half, even if Alan Pardew’s men lacked ambition, until they changed it at the break, brought on Gareth Barry and later went to a 4-4-2.
However, it was too late by then as United had inflicted the damage. The first goal came after 27 minutes – Jonny Evans made a clearance, Oliver Burke did not do enough to stop Rashford providing the cross, and Lukaku outjumped Kieran Gibbs in a horrible aerial mismatch.
Lukaku’s precision header flew into the top corner, but the Belgium striker’s reaction was very strange. His celebration was rather muted after scoring against Bournemouth in midweek and it was the same again this time.
Maybe he was still sulking after criticism of his no-show against City, or because he had a loan spell at West Brom and followed the silly tradition of not celebrating against former clubs.
United doubled their lead after 35 minutes when Lukaku and Mata helped set up Lingard. His low shot was horribly deflected off Ahmed Hegazi, past West Brom keeper Ben Foster.
It looked game over. But West Brom came out for the second half with more energy and determination. They battled and pushed United further back.
The visitors looked vulnerable after Antonio Valencia hobbled off with a hamstring injury on 66 minutes, and Rashford was booked when angrily confronting Hegazi after claiming he had been elbowed.
Nerves started to get to the United defence. On 77 minutes, substitute Chris Brunt’s corner created havoc, Marcos Rojo clashed with Evans and then Barry calmly side-footed home.
Incredibly, it was the first goal of Pardew’s reign – his fourth game in charge – and set up a grandstand finish, which left United clinging on.
Jay Rodriguez went close and another Brunt corner created more mayhem after David De Gea missed his punch.
West Brom showed character to almost get back into the game and they will need plenty of that if they are to survive.
United look as if they are still licking their wounds after the City defeat and it may take some time before they truly recover.