Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has questioned referee Mike Dean's decision to send Juan Mata off during his side's Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.

Mata was shown the first red card of his career for two bookings in quick succession in the first half at The Hawthorns, before watching on from the press box as his side slumped to a 1-0 defeat.

Van Gaal acknowledged that Mata had given the referee a decision to make, but believes that the Spaniard's character should have been taken into consideration.

"My opinion doesn't count. You give as a referee within five minutes two yellow cards to the same person and you know also who is Juan Mata," Van Gaal told reporters.

"I asked him a rhetorical question: 'How many red cards [have you had in your career]?' None.

"I had assumed that already so, yeah, as a player you have to know also when you have a yellow card that you have to take care of that."

The defeat was United's first away to West Brom in the league since March 1984.