WEST BROM head coach Alan Irvine insists Manchester United are still a force and warned his side to treat them with respect.

The Baggies host United tonight - and Irvine reckons the former champions are still a top draw.

United chief Louis van Gaal has seen his side lose 5-3 at Leicester and stunned 4-0 in the Capital One Cup by MK Dons already this season.

They are 11 points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea following Van Gaal's stuttering start since replacing David Moyes in the summer.

Victory would move Albion level on points with United but, while Irvine believes they are in transition, he is wary of their threat.

He said: "They are still Manchester United and have some great players. It's going to be a huge game for our club, players and fans.

"When the fixtures come out, most people up and down the country look to see when they are playing Manchester United at home.

"They have been a fantastic team over the years, but the squad was looking like it was going to need some changes and I read something from Sir Alex Ferguson saying it has needed an overhaul.

"Manchester United have been dominant for many years so they are eventually going to have to change and that's the situation they are in at the moment."

Irvine has called on Albion to shut United down early.

"They will work the ball out and we've got to make sure they don't get moves started easily," he said.

"We've done our video work and there are clips of them scoring goals where it starts with the goalkeeper and ends up in the back of the net.

"We've got to be really well organised when we don't have the ball in order to stop them building these attacks."

Yesterday, Liverpool scored a late winner to beat bottom club QPR 3-2, while Stoke defeated Swansea 2-1.