BRUNO’S OUT OF TIGHT SPOT
Fernandes sees his first penalty saved, but gets a second
REFEREE David Coote was at the centre of another VAR storm at Old Trafford.
Coote is the Nottinghamshire whistleblower who was lambasted for failing to spot Jordan Pickford’s season-ending tackle on Virgil van Dijk in last month’s Mersey derby.
Last night he had no doubts when Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes took a hack at Conor Gallagher’s shins inside Manchester United’s penalty area a minute into the second half with the game goalless.
But after using the pitch-side camera to take another look, he overturned his decision after coming to the conclusion that the West Brom midfielder had taken a dive.
A few minutes later, Coote was pointing to the spot at the other end of the pitch.
That was for when Juan Mata’s cross struck Darnell Furlong’s arm.
This time there was no advice to take a second look.
But when Sam Johnstone saved Fernandes’ penalty, VAR official Peter Bankes spotted that the Baggies’ keeper had moved too early and ordered a re-take.
This time Fernandes made no mistake – shooting high to Johnstone’s right.
It meant United were able to finally find a cure to the home sickness that has troubled them this season. No wonder, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked a relieved man at the final whistle.
For Baggies boss Slaven aven Bilic ( below), this was just ust so cruel.
Bilic was so shocked d by Coote’s U-turn that t he couldn’t even bring himself to complain.
That the referee was merely drafted in n to officiate after being ng taken off VAR duties for
Liverpool’s game against ainst
Leicester today will only add to his agony.
He must have known the game was up when substitute Callum Robinson saw his long-range strike crash against the bar as his team strained for an equaliser.
The visitors visi earlier had to call on Jo Johnstone to make a stri string of fine saves – in including a stunner in t the first half to deny Anthony Martial from close range.
But David De Gea also had to be at his b best in the United go goal.
H He denied Karlan Grant in the first half with his feet after a the West Brom striker’s shot had taken a nick off Victor Lindelof.
And he excelled again between the two penalties when he saved with his feet after Conor Townsend had found space at the far post.
United, without the injured Paul Pogba after the Frenchman returned from international duty with an ankle injury, struggled against a team that has now gone nine games without a win after returning to the Premier League.
The Reds themselves had picked up just a point from their four previous home games.
The last time they had suffered a longer drought at Old Trafford was when Sir Alex Ferguson had seen his team go six games without a win in 1990.
Barely 90 seconds had been played when Johnstone was forced into his
first save, pawing away Martial’s header from Mata’s header.
Preston- born Johnstone spent seven years coming up through United’s youth ranks.
If his first save was routine, his second was spectacular.
He went plunging to his left after Martial had picked his spot from 10 yards when Marcus Rashford and Fernandes had combined to fashion a glorious chance.
United briefly stepped it up after the break.
Visitors’ skipper Kyle Bartley took one for the team when Harry Maguire’s close-range blast caught him flush in the face.
Bartley used his head to good effect at the other end when he send an effort looping onto the roof of De Gea’s goal. Then came the controversy – and it was United who got all the breaks. It wasn’t pretty.
But Solskjaer only needs to take a look across Manchester to Pep Guardiola to remember that he isn’t in a beauty contest.
MANCHESTER UTD: De Gea 6, Wan Bissaka 5, Lindelof 6, Maguire 6, Alex Telles 6, Matic 5, Fred 6 (McTominay 84), Mata 5 (Cavani 63, 5), Bruno Fernandes 7, Rashford 5, Martial 5 (Van de Beek 80).
Unused subs: James, Henderson, Williams, Tuanzebe.
WEST BROM: Johnstone 7, Furlong 7, Ajayi 6, Bartley 7, Ivanovic 6 ( Krovinovic 80), Townsend 6, Matheus Pereira 6, Sawyers 6, Gallagher 7, Diangana 6 (Robson-Kanu 62, 5), Ahearne-Grant 5 (Robinson 62, 6) .
Unused subs: Phillips, Harper, Krovinovic, Button, O’Shea.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Sam Johnstone. Former Old Trafford junior pulled off a goal-saving, early stop to deny Martial. REFEREE: David Coote 5.