Manchester United 0 West Brom 1 - Report and pictures
Old Trafford has been a happy hunting ground for Albion in recent years but not since the famous 5-3 game 40 years ago has there been a win as stunning as this.
Beforehand, some bookmakers were offering odds as long as 20/1 for the Baggies to take all three points back down the M6.
Considering this was their first victory since January and just their fourth in the league this season, perhaps that's understandable.
The fact that it handed the title to United's arch-rivals City, a week after they had beaten them, means it will reverberate around the football world.
But for the Baggies it was a rare day of joy in a season of despair at a stadium they are getting used to winning in. This was their third victory in five visits here.
The superb Jay Rodriguez capped off a brilliant week for him personally after being cleared of racial abuse on Friday with his 11th goal of the season 17 minutes from time.
His stooping header from close range stunned the 75,000 fans inside the stadium, and sent the pocket of Albion supporters bonnkers.
But instead of capitulating as the final whistle neared, like they have done so many times this season, Albion held firm and kept United's glittering and expensively-assembled team of stars out. In fact, they did with it ease.
Darren Moore's simple 4-4-2 formation has restored some organisation to the Baggies and his game plan worked to a tee here.
Everyone knew their jobs and everyone stayed focused. The caretaker boss named an unchanged line-up after seeing his side pick up a point against Swansea in his opening game in charge.
Daniel Sturridge and Sam Field both returned to the bench from their respective injuries, but there was still no Jonny Evans or Nacer Chadli.
Jose Mourinho brought Victor Lindelof and Juan Mata from the team that roared back to defeat arch-rivals Manchester City last weekend.
It was a tentative opening to the game but United quickly gained control of possession and started to probe.
Alexis Sanchez nearly played Juan Mata in behind the Albion defence before Paul Pogba did, lifting the ball over the back four, but the Spaniard was offside.
In between those chances Pogba, still cock of the walk after his brace against City, tried a long-range effort that was safely gathered by Ben Foster.
Albion were snapping at heels though and man of the match Rodriguez twice won possession in a dangerous position to set up chances for the visitors.
On the first occasion, the forward slipped just as he burst into the box, but the second time he found Salomon Rondon who in turn laid the ball off to Jake Livermore in space.
The midfielder checked back inside Ashley Young and rolled an effort towards the far corner but David De Gea got down well and pushed the ball around the post. It was Livermore's second shot on target all season.
Just before the 20-minute mark the Baggies were given a huge let-off though when Ander Herrera beat Craig Dawson to the ball in the box and went down under his challenge.
There was obvious contact but referee Paul Tierney said no, and the only plausible reason he did is because his view was obscured.
Seconds later Foster pulled off a tremendous save to rival De Gea's when Mata's first-time ball found Romelu Lukaku in the box and the former Albion man rolled Kieran Gibbs with ease to leave himself one-on-one.
But his shot hit Foster, who had rushed out quickly, square in the face and bounced safe.
Rondon had a downwards header easily collected by De Gea soon after before Pogba tried a different approach to scoring when Sanchez's cross was too high for him.
Instead of letting it sale over his head he raised his hand and tried to slap the ball into the net, earning himself a yellow card and chants of 'Cheat' from the away end.
The first half was an even affair and Albion finished it on top.
They should have scored when Brunt's corner found Dawson at the back post, but the defender headed the ball back across goal when he should have gone for goal himself.
Mourinho's team needed impetus at half-time so he brought Jesse Lingard on for Herrera and the substitute nearly made an immediate impact, but a great Dawson block denied him from 12 yards.
Albion's gameplan was working. United were struggling to break down their solid banks of four in defence and in attack, the Baggies were stretched the pitch with wide wingers while Rodriguez dropped into the hole.
Pogba was slightly fortunate to stay on the pitch after clipping McClean's bursting run forward while already on a yellow and he was immediately substituted off by Mourinho, who sensed danger.
The rain started to fall strongly around the hour mark, but it was Albion who were zipping the ball around more than United, whose fans started to grow increasingly restless and urged their team to attack.
Most of the people inside Old Trafford thought they had made the breakthrough in the 67th minute, when Lukaku climbed higher than Gibbs at the back post - just like he did at The Hawthorns - and powered a forceful downwards header towards goal.
But the brilliant Foster pulled off another great save to deny his old friend, springing down to his right hand side to get a strong hand to it.
If that save drew murmurs of irritation from the United fans, Albion's next move would silence them.
The home side hadn't been picking up Dawson at the back post from corners all game, but when they finally wised up to it, Nemanja Matic inadvertantly headed the ball back across his own goal.
And there was Rodriguez who capped off a brilliant week for himself personally with a stooping header from inside the six yard box.
A week after denying their rivals the title, United were handing it to them on a plate, not that the Albion fans cared about any of that as they went ballistic in the away end.
United threw the kitchen sink at the Baggies, who have squandered so many leads late on this season.
But there is a more determined steeliness to this side under Moore than there was under Pardew.
Perhaps that's because the pressure is off now everyone has accepted they're down.
Albion are still nine points behind Swansea in 17th with four games remaining so this victory, as memorable as it is, is unlikely to spark another Great Escape.
But it has lifted the team to 24 points, equalling their lowest post-war tally to date and based on Moore's first two games in charge, there is no reason why they can't pick up a few more before the season finishes.
KEY MOMENTS
13 De Gea gets down smartly to push Livermore's shot around the post after good build-up from Rodriguez and Rondon.
18 United should have a penalty when Ander Herrera goes down in the box under Craig Dawson's challenge but for some reason referee Paul Tierney says no.
19 Foster rushes off his line quickly and pulls off a great one-on-one save to deny Lukaku.
29 Pogba booked after trying to slap the ball into the Albion goal when Sanchez's cross is too high for him.
67 Foster makes another great save to stop Lukaku when he outjumps Gibbs at the far post.
73 GOAL ALBION - Brunt's corner to the back post is nodded back across his own goal by Matic and Rodriguez heads it home from close range.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jay Rodriguez - A superb performance capped off with a stooping header and his second goal in two games.
POSITION IN THE TABLE
20th, with 24 points from 34 games.
TEAMS
Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea, Valencia (c), Smalling, Lindelof, Young (Rashford 75), Herrera (Lingard 45), Matic, Pogba (Martial 59), Sanchez, Lukaku, Mata.
Unused subs: Pereira, Jones, Rojo, McTominay.
Albion (4-4-2): Foster, Nyom, Dawson, Hegazi, Gibbs, Phillips (Krychowiak 77), Livermore, Brunt (c) (Yacob 90+2), McClean, Rodriguez, Rondon (Sturridge 84).
Unused subs: Myhill, Gabr, Field, Burke.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)
Attendance: 75,095
