• Premier League

Fergie admits WBA should have been awarded penalty

Gary Neville caught Graham Dorrans late © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• Match report: Arsenal keep pace with United as top four all win
  

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Gary Neville was fortunate to escape punishment after he appeared to bring Graham Dorrans down in the area during Manchester United's 2-1 win at West Brom.

The game had started well for United, with Wayne Rooney having scored his first goal in open play for the club since March when he headed in Patrice Evra's cross on three minutes.

However, the hosts equalised through a stunning James Morrison strike and for a long time looked the more likely to go on and win it. They may well have done so had referee Chris Foy awarded a foul after Neville sent Dorrans flying in the area, with a penalty and sending off appearing inevitable.

Foy waved play on and, although Rio Ferdinand fouled Jerome Thomas to hand West Brom a second-half penalty, Peter Odemwingie failed to convert the spot kick.

United then claimed victory when substitute Javier Hernandez headed in after 75 minutes.

"It was a really tough game on a greasy pitch," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "It's a massive result for us today. Over the years we've had to battle out games and we have had to do that today.

"In the second half we started to play a bit better. We had to make changes with one or two injuries."

On the Neville incident, he added: "I thought it was a penalty. I thought at the time Gary got it (the ball) but when I saw the replay he got the outside of the player's leg."

Ferdinand also acknowledged that United had struggled to find their best form but said the result was all that mattered.

"You've got to win games," Ferdinand said. "I don't care how we win. The three points is all that counts. You've got to dig deep in these games and these are the type of games you can make up a lot of ground in the league.

"Credit to West Brom, they played some good football. They are not scared to pass the ball around."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.