Reuters
London, March 7: Ten-man Manchester United suffered a blow to their Premier League top-four hopes with a 0-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion as 10-man Liverpool kept up the pressure with a last-gasp 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, Sunday.
The Red Devils lost Spain international Juan Mata to two yellow cards inside two minutes midway through the first half and went behind to a sharp goal from Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon on 67 minutes.
Louis van Gaal’s side were unable to fight back and slumped to their first league defeat at The Hawthorns since 1984 to end their recent run of four straight wins in all competitions.
“When you have to play 75 minutes with 10 players, I don’t think we were so uncomfortable,” United manager Louis van Gaal told ‘BBC Sport’. “The loss is a big blow because it was not necessary. When you see the first half we shouldn’t have lost, I think.”
United remain sixth, three points adrift of Manchester City in fourth place, with Liverpool breathing down their neck in seventh after fighting back from 0-1 down to consign Palace to a 12th league game without a win.
The home side went ahead through Joe Ledley’s low drive just after the break and Liverpool found themselves further on the back foot when they lost James Milner to a second yellow card on 62 minutes.
Yet Juergen Klopp’s men kept pressing and their perseverance paid off when Palace goalkeeper Alex McCarthy lost his footing and scuffed a clearance straight to Roberto Firmino, who fired it past him for the equaliser on 72 minutes.
Deep into stoppage time late substitute Christian Benteke surged into the left side of the Palace penalty area and went down after a slight contact with defender Damien Delaney. The Reds were awarded a penalty which Benteke himself converted.
