MAN UNITED 0, WEST BROM 1
How ironic that after winning at leaders Manchester City that Manchester United should lose at home to bottom-club West Brom, a result that confirmed City as champions.
Just as the second-half display against City was phenomenal, their performance against the Baggies was abject as they were beaten by a Jay Rodriguez goal.
And Reds’ manager Jose Mourinho pulled no punches, declaring: “We deserved to be beaten as we were the masters of complication with no continuity about our play.
“I think we didn’t deserve to lose, but we gave them the opportunity to win. They were solid in defence and we gave them a chance from a set piece and deserved that punishment.”
Mourinho, who has won eight titles, continued: “From my experience you don’t win titles with inconsistency.
“You win titles with consistency at all levels, including mentally.”
And of the defeat handing the league to City, Mourinho added: “I would be upset if people said they won because we lost.
“They won because they were the best team, won a great amount of points.”
The win was against all odds as the Baggies had previously won only three league games all season and their last win was at Liverpool in late January in the FA Cup.
And their only away win in the league came at Burnley on their first road trip in August.
The Baggies have certainly got the measure of United as on their last five visits to Old Trafford they have won three times and drawn once.
And it begged the question had they produced more displays of this quality then they would not be heading for the Championship.
United made two changes from the Manchester derby as Victor Lindelof replaced Eric Bailly at centre back while Juan Mata was preferred to Jesse Lingard.
The Baggies almost caused an upset by snatching an 11th minute lead after they carved open United’s defence.
Salomon Rondon released Jake Livermore who looked certain to score, but his low shot was superbly turned away by David De Gea.
It took United time to get into their stride as they looked laboured in the early stages.
They eventually began to fire with a failed penalty appeal after Ander Herrera went down under a challenge from Craig Dawson.
Moments later Mata released Romelu Lukaku who was clean through but, keeper Ben Foster blocked well after racing off his line.
Foster also saved at the feet of Lukaku but he Baggies belied their lowly status, more than matching the Reds in the opening half hour that was well below par for Mourinho’s men.
United made a change at the break as Lingard replaced Ander Herrera, a move that paid almost immediate dividends when he had a shot blocked.
Lingard injected energy and pace into a side that lacked both in the opening period.
But with no breakthrough looking likely, Mourinho made a second change just short of the hour as Pogba was replaced by Anthony Martial.
United would have made the breakthrough midway through the second period, but for a superb save from Ben Foster who flung himself full length to his right to turn away Lukaku’s goalbound header.
Nemanja Matic then squared a pass to Lingard whose drive flew narrowly wide.
But it was the Baggies who made the breakthrough in the 73rd minute.
Chris Brunt’s corner was headed back across the face of goal by Matic for Rodriguez to nod in from six yards for his 11th goal of the season.
And Baggies almost made it 2-0 after a breakaway down by left by James McClean who fired narrowly wide of the far post.
Mourinho also threw on Marcus Rashford but United never seriously looked like breaching the well drilled Baggies’ defence.
It was also the first time United had lost to a bottom-club since Blackburn Rovers in 2011/12, the season City also won the Premier League title.