Rondon strike sinks Manchester United after Mata red card

Manchester United lost ground on their bid to claim a Champions League place after a Salomon Rondon strike condemned them to defeat at West Brom.

Louis van Gaal's side were coming off the back of four successive victories trying to get level on points with Manchester City in fourth and within two points of Arsenal in third. West Bromwich Albion were trying to consolidate their Premier League position.

The complexion of the game changed when Juan Mata was sent off for two incredibly daft yellow cards incurred over the course of two minutes. However, in the first half at least, it seemed both sides were happy to play the match out for a draw.

Louis van Gaal has been credited with bringing through youth, but had brought Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick and Matteo Darmian back in place of recently used youngsters, and Tony Pulis was as pragmatic as ever.

Rondon fired in just after the hour mark to put West Brom ahead, and United had no way back. West Brom moved into 11th, with United stuck on sixth.

Can Louis van Gaal survive this? Beating a lower division side, a terrible Danish team, a collapsing Arsenal and mid-table Watford had some people claiming a corner had been turned. It hadn't. As usual, Manchester United could not beat a side when their opponent was close to competent, and this time Juan Mata made it even harder with the daftest red card of the season. Van Gaal should have been sacked long ago. This result would be justification, but that has been said plenty of times already this season.

Salomon Rondon (West Bromwich Albion): A well taken winner, and a threat in terms of winning high balls and stretching play. There was nothing exceptional about him or West Brom today, they just had to do their job. Their opposition didn't manage that, though.

West Bromwich Albion: Foster 6, Olsson 6, Chester 6, Yacob 6, Gardner 6, Berahino 6, McAuley 6, Fletcher 6, Dawson 6, Sessegnon 5, Rondon 7. Subs: McClean 7, Pocognoli 7, Sandro 6.

Manchester United: De Gea 6, Darmian 5, Smalling 5, Blind 4, Rojo 5, Carrick 4, Herrera 6, Lingard 6, Mata 3, Martial 6, Rashford 6. Subs: Fosu-Mensah 6, Schneiderlin 6, Memphis 4.

23' - McAULEY CHANCE - McAuley gets to Gardner's free kick from the right. He's peeled off at the back, and just misses the far post. He's offside anyway.

24' - MATA YELLOW - Mata is booked for pointlessly blocking a quick free kick.

26' - RED CARD! Juan Mata is off! Fletcher is about to break forward from a few yards outside his box. Mata whacks him pointlessly in the shins, and it's a second yellow.

27' - DAWSON SHOT - Rondon brings it down for Dawson with his chest, and he lifts a volley from outside the box just over the bar.

54' - LINGARD SHOT - Lingard carries the ball down the left, cuts inside, and fires a shot at goal from the corner of the box. It flies just over the bar.

66' - GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 West Brom. Rondon scores - United are currently sitting back and inviting pressure. West Brom are patiently looking for an opening. They find Pocognoli free on the left and he fires in a ball at Rondon. He controls it, then swivels towards goal, sending a shot into the near post past De Gea.

Salomon Rondon has four goals in his last six Premier League appearances.

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