Manchester United play host to West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon hoping to avoid equalling an unwanted club record.

The Red Devils have only previously failed to find the net in three successive top-flight games on three occasions before, but another shutout against the Baggies will match that rare feat.

Manchester United

We are now a third of the way through the season but it is still near impossible to gauge just how happy United supporters are at this moment in time.

A Champions League win over CSKA Moscow in midweek helped propel the Red Devils to top spot in Group B, albeit by the slenderest of winning margins, while just four points stands between themselves and the Premier League summit.

In many ways, though, it is the bland style of play that is worrying the fanbase, leading to more than the odd murmur of discontent in recent weeks with repeated chants of "Attack! Attack! Attack!" from the Stretford End.

Louis van Gaal certainly has his work cut out, knowing that not only does he need to provide positive results - something lacking of late domestically speaking - but also turn on the style of play to provide more goals and entertainment.

A rather poor set of results in October, beginning with a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal and ending with successive stalemates, did little to appease those calling for a more direct style of play.

Throw another goalless draw into the mix, this time when being dumped out of the League Cup at home to Middlesbrough, and United knew heading into that midweek tie at Old Trafford that they simply had to get off the mark.

The man who provided the only goal of the evening has himself come under increasing pressure, with Wayne Rooney's barren run seeing him score in just five of the Red Devils' 17 games so far this term.

Van Gaal, who has urged supporters to remain behind each player this weekend, also hinted in his pre-match press conference that the England international will remain up top for the visit of West Brom.

That perhaps would not be such a bad choice, with Rooney scoring seven and assisting four more in his last seven league starts against the Baggies.

It is up the other end where United have looked particularly strong to date, though, keeping a league-high seven clean sheets, including four in the last five, but a failure to score in three of their last four has ensured that the same questions are continually being asked.

Recent form in Premier League: WWLWDD
Recent form (all competitions): WDDLDW

West Bromwich Albion

While results have gone from one extreme to another for West Brom of late, their away form - among the best in the division - has looked a little more solid.

The Baggies have won five and lost just two of their last nine Premier League away games stretching into last season, while only one side - Crystal Palace - has managed to breach their net away from home this term.

That run of indifferent overall form has ultimately left Albion sitting in mid-table, exactly seven points between the drop zone and a place alongside Man United in fourth.

While a charge for a European berth is extremely unlikely this season, challenging for a spot in the league's top eight places is certainly a target worth chasing.

If that is to be on the agenda for WBA then adding more goals to their game is a must, having so far outscored only Stoke City in the Premier League.

Ten goals from their opening 11 matches is only marginally better than Stoke's 0.82 goals-per-game ration, and certainly something that is holding the West Midlands outfit back in their pursuit to break into the top half.

West Brom are also one of only four teams yet to have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a top-flight game, although they come up against a United side who have hardly seen the goals flow in at home this season, with just seven in all - the same number as the Baggies.

Tony Pulis has perhaps been a little distracted by events that have been developing off the field this week, following the Football Association's decision to fine him £8,000 for his recent misconduct.

The Welshman, it is fair to say, was left extremely unhappy by the refereeing display on show during his side's 3-2 loss at home to Leicester City last time out, and has now called for the governing body to be more open when it comes to dealing with fines.

Recent form in Premier League: WLLWWL
Recent form (all competitions): LLLWWL

Team News

Morgan Schneiderlin has been struggling with illness this week, forcing him to miss the win over CSKA, but the midfielder has returned to training and is now in contention to play a part.

United are still without Antonio Valencia and long-term absentee Luke Shaw, however, while fellow full-back Matteo Darmian will also sit this one out after accumulating five yellow cards.

Van Gaal made clear in his pre-match press conference that he is not expecting too many changes, despite the quick turnaround in games, but he may tweak his formation slightly to get the best out of Anthony Martial in a central attacking position.

In terms of the visitors, Pulis revealed that he still has "one or two doubts" heading into Saturday's clash, though he refused to go into any further detail.

James Morrison is among those in contention to start, having returned from injury in the defeat to Leicester, and there could also be a welcome Old Trafford return for Jonny Evans and Darren Fletcher.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Young, Smalling, Jones, Rojo; Schweinsteiger, Carrick; Mata, Rooney, Lingard; Martial

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Myhill; Dawson, McCauley, Evans, Brunt; McManaman, Fletcher, Yacob, McClean; Rondon, Berahino

Head To Head

West Brom have lost just one of their last five games against Man United in the Premier League, winning two and drawing one in that sequence.

Those last two victories have come in successive matches at Old Trafford, in fact, with the Red Devils' only home defeat in their last 13 outings coming against Pulis's men.

A second-half Jonas Olsson goal proved the difference for Albion in May, as they inflicted a third Prem defeat in a row on their opponents for the first time in 14 years.

Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:

We say: Manchester United 2-0 West Bromwich Albion

The goals have dried up for United and the natives are growing restless. A couple of wins on the bounce will certainly change the mood around the Theatre of Dreams, however, and they will return to winning ways this weekend by seeing off the Baggies in a fairly straightforward manner.