Premier League: West Brom 1 Manchester Utd 2

Manchester United rode their luck to open the new year with a rare away win against West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday.

West Brom will regret a sluggish start that allowed Wayne Rooney an early opener as well as a second half penalty miss before Javier Hernandez struck late on to cancel out James Morrison’s leveller as the match finished 2-1 at the Hawthorns.

Both team’s lined up with four changes each from their respective midweek games, with Rooney immediately justifying his inclusion as he headed United in to a third minute lead.

Gabriel Obertan’s neat footwork allowed Patrice Evra time to pick out Rooney who directed a downwards header past Scott Carson’s sluggish dive to finally register his first goal in open play since March 2010.

Despite being on a three match losing streak, West Brom soon showed they were up for the fight thanks to James Morrison’s spectacular equaliser on 14 minutes.

Morrison confidently ran on to Nemanja Vidic’s headed clearance to dispatch a first time volley past Tomasz Kuszczak to bring the Baggies level.

Gary Neville was lucky to see his last gasp tackle on Graham Dorrans escape punishment.

From 12 yards out, the Scottish international seemed set to apply the finishing touches to Morrison’s long pass before Neville’s challenge clearly took the man and not the ball.

Dorrans, Chris Brunt and Paul Scharner all narrowly fired wide as the host’s further exerted themselves on the league leaders.

And that pressure finally forced referee Chris Foy to point to the spot with an hour gone as Rio Ferdinand took away the trailing leg of the lively Jerome Thomas to present Albion with a penalty.

However, Peter Odemwingie scuffed his shot past the left hand post to gift United another reprieve.

And the hosts were made to pay for their profligacy, United again allowed too much space in the box as Javier Hernandez flicked home a 75th minute winner following Rooney’s corner to seal only their second success on the road this season.