Manchester United have scored a league best 49 goals this season, but they’re pretty mediocre when it comes to the other end of the pitch. On Sunday, they’ll take on West Bromwich Albion, a side with a very leaky defense that has regressed terribly under Big Sam Allardyce.
Big Sam is known for saving teams from relegation, and if you don’t already know that, he’ll be sure to tell you as early and as quickly as possible. Could this be the season he finally feels the drop? If so, will it actually humble him?
Manchester United at West Bromwich Albion FYIs
Kickoff: 2pm GMT Sunday Feb 14, The Hawthorns
Team News for both sides: go here
PL Form: United DWDLW West Brom LLDLL
PL Position: United 2nd, 45 pts West Brom 19th, 12 pts
Odds: United -334 West Brom +800 Draw +425
TV: NBCSN, Online: NBCSports.com
On paper, this looks lopsided in favor of United, but remember that the all-time series between these two clubs is hotly contested. United, historically, seem to struggle with these guys more so than with other clubs that usually reside in the mid and lower table.
New signing Amad Diallo was named to the squad in midweek, against West Ham in the FA Cup, but he didn’t feature. Is this the match where we will see his senior team debut? How many minutes could he play?
We’ll have to wait and see, but here’s what we’re going with for our starting XI prediction.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction at West Brom
David De Gea; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Fred, Scott McTominay; Bruno Fernandes; Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani
Prediction: United 2, West Brom 1
This has been a very closer series, historically, but we see United adding on to their all time advantage.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.