UNITED 1 WEST BROM 0

If his colleagues had shown similar ruthlessness Solskjaer could have spent
the whole of a steamy afternoon sunbathing on the bench but even taking

United's superiority in terms of chances into account, the outcome paid scant
respect to the spirit and endeavour of the visitors, who laboured prodigiously
to mark their Premiership debut with at least a draw.

The one-striker option is not regarded fondly by United's followers but
yesterday you could not argue that the home team lacked threat, just
accuracy. Ryan Giggs and Keane both should have scored in the first 20
minutes but when Butt weaved around Hoult after 35 minutes and still
managed to hit a post, albeit from a narrow angle, a sense of foreboding
began to grow for the Premiership favourites. That intensified when Giggs
majestically swept on to Ruud van Nistelrooy's back heel only to shoot
disappointingly wide and a bad week could have got decidedly worse if Jason
Roberts had put the visitors ahead just after half-time.

The Albion striker had already exposed Laurent Blanc's lack of a top gear in
the first half and the 36-year-old French centre-half resembled a tractor in the
fast lane as Roberts made the most of Butt's mispass and John O'Shea's
faulty tackle. If Roberts had possessed confidence in his left foot, the result
would probably have been a goal, instead he went round the outside allowing
Roy Carroll to block his shot.

United reverted to type, Van Nistelrooy was denied by a flying save from Hoult
but it was a measure of increasing anxiety in the home ranks that Keane was
booked for a late tackle on McInnes on the hour. But McInnes, fired by a
caution of his own for time wasting, crashed into a tackle with Butt to reduce
his side to 10 men.

With a numerical disadvantage the visitors were unlikely to hold out and as
the game became a one-way street Solskjaer duly supplied his 100th goal for
United. "He's a fantastic professional," Ferguson enthused. "And a wonderful
man. He analyses what's happening on the field all the time and 100 goals at
this club, considering the time he spent on the bench, is remarkable. What a
substitute."

The Sunday Mirror's take:

Ten-man West Bromwich Albion gave Manchester United a huge scare before
going down to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's late winner. The brave Baggies fought
a determined rearguard action before the Norwegian striker popped up with a
slick 78th-minute finish to claim his 100th goal for the Reds. United, beaten by
Hungarian minnows Zalaegerszeg in midweek, struggled to overcome the
well-organised Premiership new boys, who had skipper Derek McInnes sent
off for a two-footed tackle on Nicky Butt in the 63rd minute. The home side
enjoyed most of the possession, but were repeatedly denied by the heroics of
Albion keeper Russell Hoult.

United failed to score in their midweek Champions League defeat and,
despite creating a hatful of chances, Hoult wasn't over-worked in the first
period. But Hoult distinguished himself with four great second-half saves. The
pick of which thwarted a David Beckham thunderbolt. Baggies boss Gary

Megson felt that McInnes' dismissal cost his side the game:

"We were just about hanging on when Derek McInnes was sent off," said
Megson.

"I don't think he went in to hurt Nicky Butt, but it was a two-footed challenge.
Now I expect to see all two-footed challenges punished by straight red cards.

"We will learn lessons from this game. One of the most important is that at this
level we have to keep the ball better.

"Jason Roberts had two or three good chances, but, unfortunately, he didn't
take them.

"And when United went for broke by throwing on their attacking substitutes we
finally cracked."

Both sides struggled to cope with the sweltering heat and the game was
largely played at a pedestrian pace after a hectic start. Albion were given a
torrid introduction to the Premiership with United, who haven't lost on the
opening day since 1995, piling on the pressure from the first minute. Albion hit
back with a powerful 30-yard shot from Roberts but United keeper Roy Carroll
saved well. Danny Dichio should have put Albion ahead on the half hour after
being set up by Igor Balis but the Albion striker miscued his shot with the goal
at his mercy.

Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs had shots charged down before the visitors
almost caught them on the break. The pacy Roberts left Laurent Blanc for
dead, but Carroll saved United with a desperate near post dive. And at the
other end Hoult brilliantly stopped Keane's header from Beckham's right-wing
cross. A fabulous run from Nicky Butt saw him go past two Albion defenders
and keeper Hoult but the angle proved too tight for the United schemer and
his shot rattled the post. United should have had a penalty in the 46th minute
when Giggs appeared to be pushed by Larus Sigurdsson as he went up for a
high ball in the box. But Kent referee Steve Bennett waved aside United's
furious appeals.

Albion had set their stall out for a draw, but they were frequently dangerous
on the break and Roberts wriggled free in the box, but dragged his shot wide
of Carroll's left-hand post.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson finally decided he need to change both the
tactics and the personnel on 59 minutes. He sent on Ole Gunnar Solkjaer for
Juan Sebastian Veron and switched from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2. Veron could consider
himself unlucky to be substituted as he was the pick of the United midfield.
And it was a gamble that paid off, but not before Ferguson had replaced Phil
Neville and Mikael Silvestre with Diego Forlan and Paul Scholes to play a 2-5-
3 formation. It was a bold decision by Ferguson to play with just two
recognised defenders but one that paid big dividends in the shape of three
points.

The fiery Keane, who is set to be sued by Alf-Inge Haaland over his horror
tackle, picked up his first yellow card of the season for reacting to a Sean
Gregan challenge. And in the 63rd minute McInnes was sent off for a
horrendous challenge that left Butt writhing in agony.

Seconds earlier McInnes had been booked for wasting time at a free-kick, but
Bennett showed him a straight red for his two-footed lunge. A clever flick from
Ruud van Nistelrooy looked like ending the deadlock, but Hoult made a great
save to turn the ball over. And it was Scholes who set up the winner for fellow
sub Solskjaer. The England man played in Solskjaer and the Norwegian kept
his cool to finally beat the brave Hoult in the visitors' goal.

MAN UTD: Carroll 7; P Neville 7 (Scholes 6) O'Shea 8, Blanc 7, Silvestre 7
(Forlan 6), Beckham 7, Keane 7, Butt 7, Veron 8 (Solskjaer 5), Giggs 7, van
Nistelrooy 8.

WEST BROM: HOULT 9; Moore 8, Gilchrist 8, Sigurdsson 8, Balis 8, Clement
7, McInnes 6, Gregan 7, Johnson 7, Dichio 6 (Dobie 6), Roberts 8 (Marshall
6).