Statistics & Post-Match Quotes | Manchester United 2-0 West Bromwich Albion

TEAM STATISTICS

MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER STATISTICS

* David de Gea (goalkeeper): 16/19 passing (84%), 0 goals conceded, 3 saves

* Jonny Evans (right-center-back): 75/81 passing (93%), 7/10 long balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 5 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 1 foul

* Rio Ferdinand (left-center-back): 50/54 passing (93%), 9/10 long balls, 3 tackles, 0 interceptions, 7 clearances, 0 shots blocked, 0 fouls

* Phil Jones (right-back): 63/70 passing (90%), 2 key passes, 3/8 crosses, 5/5 long balls, 4 tackles, 1 interception, 4 clearances, 0 shots blocked, 1 foul

* Patrice Evra (left-back): 55/62 passing (89%), 1 key pass, 1/4 crosses, 3/3 long balls, 3 tackles, 3 interceptions, 4/4 crosses, 0 shots blocked, 0 fouls

* Michael Carrick (central-midfield): 87/96 passing (91%), 0 key passes, 0/1 crosses, 9/10 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 1 tackle, 3 interceptions, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Paul Scholes (central-midfield | substituted off 73'): 76/87 passing (87%), 2 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 11/11 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 2 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 shot (1 on target)

* Danny Welbeck (right-winger | substituted off 77'): 37/39 passing (95%), 4 key passes, 0/1 crosses, 1/1 long ball, 1/1 through ball, 4 successful dribbles, 1 foul won, 1 tackle, 2 interceptions, 2 shots (0 on target)

* Ashley Young (left-winger): 37/47 passing (79%), 5 key passes, 3/10 crossing, 3/4 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 3 successful dribbles, 2 fouls won, 3 tackles, 1 interception, 4 shots (2 on target)

* Wayne Rooney (striker): 46/55 passing (84%), 2 key passes, 0/1 crosses, 9/9 long balls, 0/2 through balls, 2 successful dribbles, 1 foul won, 6 shots (4 on target), 2 goals (1 penalty)

* Javier Hernandez (striker): 23/25 passing (92%), 3 key passes, 1/1 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 1 foul won, 6 shots (1 on target), 1 assist

* Paul Pogba (central-midfield | substituted on 73'): 17/18 passing (94%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 2/2 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Tom Cleverley (central-midfield | substituted on 77'): 19/19 passing (100%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 2/2 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 shots

POST-MATCH QUOTES

Sir Alex Ferguson | MUFC manager (courtesy of MUTV)

(Overall thoughts...) "It was a great performance. We took a bit of time to get the rhythm of the game right but once we got that we played some exciting stuff and some really good football. We could have scored a lot of goals today. If there is a criticism then that is it. But we produced a stern performance; it was determined and there was a great will to win. I am really pleased with that part. We created a lot of chances and missed them. It becomes worrying because you need the second one to take the pressure off you. Fortunately we got the second goal and we still missed chances after that, but we kept our drive for the whole game, which was good. The players didn’t stop; they tried to score from every attacking situation, which is always pleasing."

(On Rooney's goalscoring...) "If he gets to 40, I’ll be absolutely delighted because we’ll be in business then. He’s on a hot streak and he does these things. His first goal was fantastic. I thought he would’ve been offside because it was so clear but when you see the timing of his run, it was fantastic and a really good finish."

(On Pogba...) "The boy is still trying to make his mind up but he knows where he should be. He has shown again today the potential he has got and he is a first-team player, there is no question about that."

(On Young...) "I think he has come back to his form. He has been out two months and it takes time to get your rhythm back. For the Ajax game, that was missing but I thought he did well for us on Thursday and he was excellent today."

Wayne Rooney |MUFC striker (courtesy of MUTV)

(On United going top of the table...) "It's where you want to be and it's where you want to finish. It's nice to be there now. I don't think we've had the credit we deserve over the last few months. Fair enough, our form in Europe has been disappointing. But in the Premier League we've had very tough games and played a lot of the big teams. Sometimes we haven't been at our best but we've got the wins. It's great credit to the team for the hard work and spirit we've shown to keep tallying up those points. I think we fully deserve to be top."

(Overall thoughts...) "They came here and made it difficult for us. They got a lot of men behind the ball. So getting the goal in the first half helped settle us down and we could have scored a lot of goals today. But the most important thing was the three points. Sometimes you need to keep your head and keep your patience. We managed to do that and create a few chances and thankfully I got the goal before half-time which settled us. We had chances and we were just thinking, 'We need to take one'. Anything can happen - they can have a half chance or a breakaway. We knew we needed to get that second goal. It was vitally important we did that and then, from there, we really saw the game out."

(On Ferguson's 40-goal target comments...) "I know how many goals I need to achieve it but I am not really focussed on that at the minute. We have 10 games left and I just want to help us get those points we need to be successful. The most important thing is to win trophies.''

Ashley Young | MUFC winger (courtesy of MUTV)

(On the title race...) "I think we said if we came through the tough away fixtures then we set ourselves up for the rest of the season. We've managed to do that away from home and our home form is key now. A lot of people might not have said that we'd be in front of City, but we've got that belief that, as long as we're winning our games, the pressure's on them."

(On his own performance and on taking three points...) "I really enjoyed myself," he said. "I'm not too sure whether it was my best but I'm pleased with my peformance and more importantly getting the three points is what we set out to do. I think we knew it was going to be tough and that they were going to get men behind the ball, but we had to break them down and I think as soon as we got the first goal we knew we were going to go on and get more. We created a lot of opportunities today - some we didn't take but we're just delighted to get the three points."

Roy Hodgson | West Bromich Albion manager

(On Rooney...) ""Rooney is a world-class player and will be a major loss for England in the first two matches of Euro 2012. We have come to terms for so long now that he won't be there that you start to think it won't matter and we will get over it. But I think you will find that the end of those two matches a lot of people are going to be talking about the fact Wayne Rooney was suspended and had he been able to play it would have helped England's chances.''