U21s Match Report: West Brom 0 Manchester United 4

Manchester United picked up the first points of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League season with a comfortable 4-0 success at West Brom.

Nick Powell made his first appearance of the season and Jonny Evans stepped up his fitness with a run-out at the heart of the defence at The Hawthorns as Warren Joyce's side bounced back from Monday's 4-2 defeat to Liverpool. As Powell, Angelo Henriquez, Adnan Januzaj's penalty and substitute Tom Lawrence all found the net, this was the perfect response to the opening-game disappointment at Salford City Stadium.

Powell took only 15 minutes to properly announce his comeback from a close-season operation and cap a one-sided opening period. The former Crewe youngster saw a goalbound header diverted for a corner but rose unchallenged to meet Januzaj's flag-kick and Wesley Atkinson was unable to keep it out on the line.

The one-way traffic continued with Powell sending a snap-shot wide, after great industry by Jesse Lingard to feed him in a central position, and a dangerous cross by Januzaj deserved to find a team-mate. Captain Tom Thorpe was inches away with a glancing header that dropped wide from an Evans centre as the Reds sought a second goal.

Januzaj produced his usual array of skills as a neat turn and one-two with Henriquez led to a shot that was saved by Jack Rose at the second attempt before Henriquez and Lingard offered wayward efforts. The pair were to combine just before the break when Henriquez fed the ball to Powell, who split the defence to release Lingard and the England Under-21 international unselfishly squared for Henriquez to supply a simple finish from close range. 

The Baggies' only real attempt of the first half came when Ben Amos had to dive to keep out a free-kick by Kemar Roofe and it was only a matter of time before they fell further behind. Henriquez was crudely up-ended by Brad Garmston and Januzaj took on the responsibility to score from the spot with a perfectly-placed left-footed finish high into the net.

The red tide kept probing but Januzaj rushed a curler after being picked out by Larnell Cole's intelligent through ball and Powell skied a chance after initially winning possession with a superb challenge and running onto Lingard's cute backheel.

Tyler Blackett blazed off target and, after a spellbinding move featuring some exquisite one-touch passing, Januzaj was unable to end it for a flourish for what would have been an early Goal of the Season contender. Roofe kept Amos on his toes with another set-piece that drifted wide but substitute Lawrence wrapped things up with a strike made in South America as Guillermo Varela played a one-two with Henriquez to tee up a straightforward finish by the Welshman. It could have been worse for the Baggies but Rose made a smart stop to frustrate Henriquez late on.

United: Amos; Varela, Evans, M.Keane, Blackett; Lingard (A.Pereira 82), Cole, Thorpe, Powell (Rothwell 79), Januzaj (Lawrence 78); Henriquez. Subs not used: Sutherland, Ekangamene.