English FA Premiership/West Brom 0; Manchester United 3: Sometimes the line between the dubious and the genius can be painfully thin. Last week against Arsenal, and again in the first half on Saturday, West Bromwich Albion played with a dedication and intelligence that was a credit to their new manager, Bryan Robson.
But at half-time in this game, that fine facade crumbled.
The home side offered much the more creditable display in a goalless opening period. Though Wayne Rooney had clipped the outside of a post with one long-distance effort, United had not a single shot on target, whereas Zoltan Gera might have given the home side the lead, only to shoot straight at Roy Carroll. But sadly the interval, and Robson, intervened.
"The gaffer said a few things to us that we could put right going forward," said Darren Purse of his manager's team talk. "Obviously we were defending pretty well, but we knew what we could do, and if we could create a little bit more we had a chance."
Mikael Silvestre might have given away a penalty for a dubious use of the arm in the 50th minute, but shortly afterwards United took a lead they were never likely to relinquish. It turned out that when West Brom tried to push forward their only shot hit themselves squarely in the foot. Sometimes, it seems, the best form of defence is actually defence.
What Robson could not have expected was the pair of first-half injuries that did much to unsettle his side's rhythm. With Nwankwo Kanu ruled out before the game with a groin strain, the captain Darren Moore lasted little more than 20 minutes, and a quarter of an hour later Cosmin Contra followed.
The Romanian is sponsored by a company called Bargain Furniture, and he proved no more sturdy than a footstool groaning under the weight of a professional wrestler.
And so it proved of his team as they were finally floored, although it took a moment of inspiration to break their resistance. Their defence had been diligent all day, but one Ryan Giggs backheel and they were undone.
Paul Scholes ran into the space and beat Russell Hoult from 25 yards. Once in the lead, United's victory was never in doubt, only the extent of it.
"I quite enjoyed the first half," said Robson, "but once they scored the first goal I didn't enjoy it at all. In fact it was a painful experience."
As the build-up to Christmas gathers pace, the West Brom midfielder Jonathan Greening appears to be modelling his appearance on Jesus, and even he could have seen a second coming as United poured forward. It came when Ruud van Nistelrooy nodded home his first Premiership goal from open play this season. Robson described the Dutchman as "like a wounded and dangerous animal".
"I was injured at the start of the season and then I was suspended," Van Nistelrooy explained. "I've been back eight or nine games and I hope this gets me going now. I want to play well and score goals every game. If that doesn't happen then the only thing is to work hard. Hard work is the cure."
Ten minutes later a similar routine - a Giggs centre and a header back across the area - brought another goal for Scholes. His first of the season had come only a week earlier against Charlton; he, like his team, is regaining form.
"I think their younger players are settling in and the older lads know what it's all about," said Robson of his former club. "They are developing a better understanding and that's why they are starting to score a lot of goals. They look as if they have started to get it together and it is possible for them to win the title."
"A couple of weeks ago people were ruling us out, which was just crazy," said Darren Fletcher. "We are being careful not to shout our mouths off now, but we are on a run of five wins so we are back in the winning routine."
If there was any obvious consolation for West Brom it was that, after Middlesbrough, Arsenal and then United, their next few fixtures are less ominous.
"Now we've got to produce," said Purse.
"We've got to get together, carry on playing the way we have in the last couple of weeks and the results will come."
