Manchester United picked up three more vital points after a narrow, but deserving, 2-1 win over a battling West Bromwich Albion side at The Hawthorns.
The Reds grabbed a third consecutive away win in the Premier League as two goals in eight first-half minutes from Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard were enough for the three points, despite substitute Gareth Barry scrambling the ball home late on.
Jose Mourinho made three changes following the win over Bournemouth in midweek with Ashley Young, Ander Herrera and Marcus Rashford all coming in.
It was a strange coincidence that the fixture list threw up a trip to The Hawthorns for the Reds on exactly the same date as last season – 17 December. A year ago to the day, a scoring double from Zlatan Ibrahimovic ensured a routine 2-0 victory for United and the Reds started in postive fashion this time around with much of the early ball possession.
It took 27 minutes for the first clear sight of goal though and Lukaku did not need a second invitation to put the Reds in front as he powerfully headed in Rashford's expert, left-wing cross into the top corner. The Belgian's 15th goal of the season was reminiscent of the header he scored in midweek and this time he had an excuse not to celebrate against his former club.
The hosts looked to hit back immediately as Allan Nyom's cross was importantly blocked by Chris Smalling before Salomon Rondon could slide the ball home. But United then went down the other end and hit West Brom with a killer suckerpunch. Juan Mata fed Lingard whose shot from 20 yards struck Ahmed Hegazi and wrong-footed former Red Ben Foster.
At the other end, Antonio Valencia's cross found Rashford at the back post, but his half-volley crept inches wide of the far post. United smelt blood and so nearly put the game to bed following a lightening counter-attack. Mata found Lingard who played a one-two with Lukaku, but the England international fired straight at Foster.
Rondon was then sent clear, in behind the Reds' defence, but he could only fire tamely at De Gea, before substitute Chris Brunt fired harmlessly over. Seconds later, another substitute, Barry, scored West Brom's first goal in 18 league matches as he scrambled home a Brunt corner.
The home crowd were fired up and Jay Rodriguez, off the bench, so nearly grabbed a late leveller, but he headed narrowly wide of De Gea's right post, before the United stopper pounced on the ball in the box moments later after a second goalmouth scramble.
Lukaku had the chance to put the game beyond any doubt in injury time, but he dragged his shot wide as the Reds held on for another important win.
West Brom: Foster, Nyom, Hegazy, Evans (c), Gibbs, Burke (Rodriguez 64), Livermore, Yacob (Barry 45), Krychowiak (Brunt 71), McClean, Rondon.
Booked: Rondon
Subs not used: Myhill, McAuley, Field, Robson-Kanu.
United: De Gea; Valencia (c) (Rojo 66), Jones, Smalling, Young; Matic, Herrera; Mata, Lingard (McTominay 85), Rashord (Martial 79) Lukaku.
Booked: Rashford, Matic.
Subs not used: Romero, Lindelof, Shaw, Ibrahimovic.
WHAT DID MOURINHO SAY?
“I think we deserved the win. We were the best team. I knew and the players knew that West Brom are very dangerous on set-pieces. We controlled the game for a long, long time, then manager Alan Pardew reacts. We had a few chances to kill the game but I knew they would react.
”We played very well and not even the last minutes made me feel that we didn’t play well because that can happen. You play against a team that is very strong on set-pieces, a team that is playing at home, a team that was bad but a goal brought them to the game and brought the emotion of the game and the motivation of the fans too. So that reaction is normal but I’m happy with the global performance and the individual effort of the players.“
WHAT'S NEXT FOR UNITED?
The Reds turn attentions to the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Ashton Gate against Bristol City on Wednesday 20 December, with kick off at 20:00 GMT.