Kaoru Mitoma scored his second goal of the season as Albion deservedly shared the points with Manchester City in a thriller at the Etihad.
Mitoma’s first goal since mid-September drew the Seagulls level on the hour after Erling Haaland had scored against Albion for the fourth game in a row from the penalty spot just before half-time.
The only thing missing from a fine Albion performance was the final action with Pascal Gross, Ferdi Kadioglu, and Diego Gomez all missing good chances. A point was the least Albion deserved.
Pascal Gross nearly scored with this second-minute header. 📷James Boardman
Pascal Gross nearly scored with this second-minute header. 📷James Boardman
There were three changes to the side which beat Burnley on Saturday as Gross, Jack Hinshelwood, at right-back, and Maxim De Cuyper came in.
Albion began without a conventional No.9 but that didn’t stop them creating two great openings in the first eight minutes.
Pascal Gross would have been celebrating after two minutes had it not been for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb reactions. The City keeper blocked when Gross met Diego Gomez’s cross with a close-range header before reacting to push away the German's follow up.
Ferdi Kadioglu tested Gianlugi Donnarumma with this shot. 📷James Boardman
Ferdi Kadioglu tested Gianlugi Donnarumma with this shot. 📷James Boardman
Albion then created a chance with just three touches. Lewis Dunk’s pass to Georginio was helped onto Ferdi Kadioglu in yards of space down the right. He got into a great position in the box but shot straight at Donnarumma.
Rutter timed his run perfectly to latch onto Gomez’s pass but Abdukodir Khusanov made a superb sliding intervention to take the sting out of his shot. After half an hour the 1,100 travelling fans high up in the Etihad must have wondered how Albion were not in front.
Instead, City went ahead in the 42nd minute with a controversial penalty. There was minimal contact when Jeremy Doku tumbled over Gomez’s leg but referee Thomas Bramall was sent to the monitor having initially waved play on. The outcome was entirely predictable – a penalty to City which Haaland buried in the bottom corner for his first goal in four games.
Jack Hinshelwood takes evasive action as Erling Haaland takes off. 📷James Boardman
Jack Hinshelwood takes evasive action as Erling Haaland takes off. 📷James Boardman
City would have had a second before the break but Dunk cleared Tijani Reijnders’ shot off the line and should have scored straight after the restart when Bernardo Silva fired wide after Yasin Ayari gave the ball to him ten yards from goal.
Albion levelled on the hour and will feel it was merited. Ayari found Mitoma on the left and he cut inside two defenders before driving a low shot through Nico Gonzalez’s legs and into the far corner – a quality finish.
There was now a definite momentum shift and Rodri had to make a crucial challenge inside the box to prevent Ayari from sweeping in Kadioglu’s cross. There was an even better chance for Albion when Mitoma latched onto Gross’s cross-field ball and fed it across the face of goal. Gomez seemed to have a tap-in but couldn’t sort out his feet. Donnarumma diverted the loose ball back towards Mitoma but from a very tight angle he hit the base of the post.
Lewis Dunk clears his lines. 📷James Boardman
Lewis Dunk clears his lines. 📷James Boardman
A warning that City still posed a threat came when Kadioglu headed the ball off the line after Haaland leapt prodigiously to flick a corner goalwards at the near post. City heads were in hands with nine minutes to go when another stray pass by Ayari in his own box was intercepted by Haaland who fired straight at Verbruggen.
James Milner became only the fifth Premier League player over 40 when he came on for the closing stages as both sides chased a winner. It didn’t come and both will feel they had the chances to have taken three points instead of one.
Albion: Verbruggen, De Cuyper, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Mitoma (Watson 83), Hinshelwood, Ayari (Milner 83), Gomez (Gruda 77), Gross, Rutter (Welbeck 77).
Subs not used: Steele, Watson, Boscagli, Coppola, Tasker, Howell.
Referee: T. Bramall