Sloppy United drop more points

Wayne Rooney was dumped to the bench then failed to perform a late rescue act for Manchester United as they threw away another two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with West Brom at Old Trafford.

Rooney had United's best late chance after being introduced with 19 minutes left but the hosts were made to pay for conceding twice in a six-minute second-half spell in a game they thought they had won.

Javier Hernandez and Nani appeared to put the hosts on easy street but after Patrice Evra had scored a bizarre own goal, a calamitous Edwin van der Sar mistake gifted Somen Tchoyi West Brom's equaliser.

Hernandez justified his selection ahead of Rooney in United's first serious attack as he won a free-kick from James Morrison and then, after Scott Carson had failed to deal with Nani's awkward dipping effort, tapped home unmarked for the opener.

The hosts wasted at least three chances to double their lead, which meant that Rafael's intervention as Chris Brunt waited to tap home Marc-Antoine Fortune's cross was crucial in keeping them in front.

Relief came courtesy of Nani, who capitalised on Nicky Shorey's slip, darted to the edge of the box, then kept going to thrash home Dimitar Berbatov's astute return pass.

United threatened at regular intervals although Albion, winners at Arsenal a fortnight ago, retained an attacking intent that would pay dividends after the break.

Their first goal was bizarre and came courtesy of two deflections - off Anderson and Evra - that took a Brunt free-kick past Van der Sar at the near post.

The second was all Van der Sar's fault as he inexplicably dropped Brunt's cross to present Tchoyi with a tap-in.

Rooney - together with Paul Scholes - was given 19 minutes to save United, although he was asked to do it from the left wing as Ferguson went for broke. The United striker had one chance, which Morrison diverted away as West Brom clung on.