Javier Hernandez scored with 15 minutes left Saturday to give Manchester United a 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion, which dominated the perennial Premier League power and missed a second-half penalty.
James Morrison had equalized Wayne Rooney's first goal from open play since March but West Brom's Peter Odemwingie hit a penalty well wide of goal.
West Brom had the better chances but Hernandez won the match when he headed in unmarked from a corner.
''You've got to win games. I don't care how we win. The three points is all that counts,'' United defender Rio Ferdinand said. ''You've got to dig deep in these games and these are the type of games you can make up a lot of ground in the league.''
Premier League leader United moved to 41 points from 19 matches.
Rooney opened the scoring in the third minute when he headed in Patrice Evra's cross, but Morrison equalized 11 minutes later with a long-range shot.
''Credit to West Brom, they played some good football,'' Ferdinand said. ''They are not scared to pass the ball around.''
West Brom thought it should have had a penalty when referee Chris Foy turned down appeals for a foul by Gary Neville on Graham Dorrans.
But Odemwingie wasted the penalty Foy did award, putting a weak kick wide in the 63rd after Ferdinand had fouled Jerome Thomas.
