West Bromwich Albion VS Manchester United
Saturday (17/12/2016)
18:30 (WAT)
Manchester United will look to continue their recent good form when they take on West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Saturday.Saturday (17/12/2016)
18:30 (WAT)
Just one place separates the two sides in the Premier League table heading into their final match before Christmas, with the Baggies just four points behind Jose Mourinho's side.
West Brom
Salomon Rondon celebrates scoring during the Premier League game between West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool on May 15, 2016
As we approach the halfway stage of the season, it is fair to say that a large chunk of Baggies supporters would not have anticipated being in such a comfortable position.
Tony Pulis's side have been the surprise packages of the 2016-17 campaign so far, sitting seventh in the table and closer to the top four than the relegation zone after 16 matches.
Not only have they been picking up positive results, with in-form Chelsea the only side to have beaten the Baggies since October, but they have also set about changing the perception of Pulis as a defensive and cautious manager.
Indeed, West Brom head into Saturday's match having scored more goals than Mourinho's Manchester United, and only Crystal Palace outside the top five have found the back of the net on more occasions.
Crucially, that new goalscoring touch has not come at the expense of conceding goals at the other end and only five teams in the entire division can boast a better defensive record than West Brom so far this term.
The Baggies have now scored three or more goals in three of their last five games, including a 3-1 victory over Swansea City on Wednesday night that saw Salomon Rondon become only the second player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick of headers.
The Venezuelan striker is beginning to find his feet in England and now has 16 league goals to his name since the start of last season - 11 more than any other West Brom player in that time.
If he can continue that form in front of goal either side of Christmas then it could go a long way to helping West Brom in a tricky double-header, with Arsenal to come after United as the Baggies look to improve their record of having picked up just one point from a possible 12 against sides currently above them in the table this season.
Only Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal have scored more goals at home than West Brom this term, and Pulis's side are currently on a three-match winning streak at The Hawthorns - they have not won four home Premier League games in a row since October 2012.
Should they achieve that feat then they would spend Christmas just a point behind United in the table and six places better off than they were at the same stage of last season.
Recent form: WWDWLW
Man Utd
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on the touchline during his side's Premier League clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford on November 19, 2016
Just over a year after being sacked by Chelsea for a second time following a poor start to their Premier League title defence, Mourinho is once again in need of victories.
The Portuguese manager has endured a shaky start to life at Old Trafford and his United side go into their final match before Christmas still six points adrift of the top four and a further seven away from league leaders Chelsea.
It is not what many would have expected following the summer arrivals of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - in addition to Mourinho himself - but there have been increasingly encouraging signs in recent weeks.
Pogba and Ibrahimovic were both on the scoresheet as United made it back-to-back league wins for the first time since August with a late 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, following up an important 1-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
United have now won as many games in their last five outings as they had in their previous 11 and are looking for four consecutive wins in all competitions for the first time since Mourinho's opening four games as manager.
The Red Devils are actually on a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, including reaching the semi-finals of the EFL Cup and the last 32 of the Europa League, but it is draws that have done the most damage in the Premier League.
No team has shared the spoils on more occasions than Mourinho's side, although with home matches against struggling pair Sunderland and Middlesbrough to come after this weekend they will be hopeful of enjoying a winning end to 2016.
United have fared better on their travels than they have in front of their own fans so far this season, though, and a victory this weekend would give them three away wins on the bounce across all competitions for the first time since April 2014.
A win would also see them move level with Tottenham Hotspur and to within three points of the top four temporarily as neither Spurs nor Manchester City are in action until Sunday, when they take on Burnley and Arsenal respectively.
Recent form: WDDDWW
Recent form (all competitions): DWDWWW
Manchester United are expected to be without Eric Bailly after he was forced off early in the second half of the win over Crystal Palace, although the extent of his knee injury is still unknown.
Mkhitaryan will also sit out due to the ankle injury he sustained against Tottenham last weekend, although the Armenian is expected to return in time for the Boxing Day clash with Sunderland.
Mourinho promised to rotate his side during the festive period, which could mean recalls for the likes of Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Antonio Valencia.
Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw remain sidelined, but captain Wayne Rooney will be hoping to retain his place as he continues his search for the one goal he needs to equal Sir Bobby Charlton as United's highest goalscorer of all time.
Rooney also needs just one more goal to become the all-time top scorer in Premier League away games, overtaking Alan Shearer, and he boasts a good record against the Baggies having scored seven and assisted four more in his last nine league appearances against them.
Pulis is unlikely to make too many changes to the side that beat Swansea in midweek, although Jonny Evans is pushing for a return against his former club following a calf injury.
Saido Berahino remains out due to his fitness levels, but the likes of James McClean and Craig Gardner will be hoping for a recall having both come off the bench on Wednesday night.
West Brom possible starting lineup:
Foster; Nyom, McAuley, Evans, Brunt; Fletcher, Yacob, Chadli, Morrison, Phillips; Rondon
Man Utd possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian; Herrera, Carrick, Pogba; Lingard, Ibrahimovic, Martial
Head To Head
West Brom have surprisingly had the better of this fixture in recent years, winning three and losing just two of their last six Premier League meetings having failed to win any of their 18 previous clashes against United.
United have only lost one of their last 12 league visits to The Hawthorns, winning nine, but that solitary defeat did come on their most recent visit in March.
Rondon got the only goal of the game in that win for the Baggies as they gained revenge for a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture last season.
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