Manchester United 2, Albion 0

Two defeats, no goals and three conceded.

That is the sum total of Albion's considerable efforts at Old Trafford in the Premier League and the FA Cup.

Efforts that deserved a greater reward against United, who, for all their faults, are still the nearest pursuers to the untouchables across the city.

A performance every bit as good, in fact better, than the one in November with points at stake rather than a Wembley semi-final, produced double the punishment.

The only let-down was in the final third, the only difference between the teams boiled down to two headers apiece inside the penalty areas.

United took theirs - the only efforts they had on target - Albion missed theirs. That was it in a nutshell.

When Tim Krul mentioned it felt like a missed opportunity, the Dutch keeper's misgivings were understandable.

Jose Mourinho's first words afterwards spoke volumes. "I didn't like the game," he said, before going on to accuse his players of a "lack of personality, lack of desire".

United, after their exit from the Champions League against Sevilla, were vulnerable. They were uninspiring, lacking in cohesion going forward.

The Argus: Except for Nemanja Matic, goal provider and goalscorer. Mourinho (above left) described the Serbian international midfielder as an "island of personality".

Whether his influence on the match would have been diminished if Dale Stephens had been fit we will never know. What we do know is that Albion are a better team with Stephens than without him.

The last game he played was the breakthrough victory over one of the top six against Arsenal at the Amex.

Following that with at least a point or two from the big guns away from home still looks some way off, an area for improvement next season and beyond if Albion capitalise on their current healthy state by sealing safety.

Two-nil (and one-nil) at United, 2-0 at Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea, with City and Liverpool still to come. Shall we give them both 2-0 wins and save everyone the trouble?

Of course, I jest. Several of Albion's rivals have fared much worse than that, but the lack of goals on their travels will need rectifying eventually if progression is to continue.

This was the eighth away game out of 11 in which Chris Hughton's side have failed to score.

Some of those blanks have been against more moderate opponents, such as West Brom and Huddersfield, one of the three goals a bit of a fluke for Glenn Murray at Middlesbrough.

If Albion are going to rapidly remove any lingering doubts about being dragged back into trouble, the successive home games after the international break against Leicester and Huddersfield are the stand-outs for win purposes.

Points are plausible elsewhere, victories less likely, although on the evidence of the two meetings so far Albion have nothing to be afraid of in their final home game against United.

They had chances to upset the odds against Mourinho's team, who took half-an-hour to flicker into life with a slick passage of one-twos between Juan Mata and Anthony Martial. It was the one and only time United attacked with any purposeful tempo.

Chris Smalling struck the outside of Krul's near post from close range in a scramble from the ensuing corner, a route which shortly afterwards might have induced a different outcome.

Lewis Dunk had a free header from Pascal Gross's delivery. Sergio Romero, made a decent save, diving to his right, but it was the kind of opening that needed to be taken.

The Argus: Romelu Lukaku (above) needed no second invitation five minutes later. Dunk lost him for a split second at the far post and the Belgian buried the header, his 25th goal of the season and 12th in his last 11 FA Cup appearances.

The first-time cross from Matic was pinpoint, but he had too much time and space.

Albion were the better side in the second half. Gross drove just wide and Jurgen Locadia, his performance from the left flank as bright as his orange boots, forced Romero into a flying stop with a rasping shot on the turn.

It should have been 1-1 when Solly March picked out Locadia at the far post. The situation demanded a looping header back over Romero into the far corner, but the Dutchman missed the target at the Argentinian keeper's near post.

Had it been Romero's fellow countryman Leo Ulloa, who looked a little rusty after his limited action, it could well have been different.

The Argus: The prospect of forcing extra-time remained very much alive until, with seven minutes left, Matic (second right above) fended off the falling Dunk to nod in Ashley Young's inviting free-kick.

The margin flattered United. They were just that bit more streetwise.