Early goals end Albion hopes at the Etihad

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Seagulls beaten 2-1 by the champions despite second-half goal for Ansu Fati.

Bruce Talbot

2023-10-21T16:00:00Z

Ansu Fati makes it 2-1 with his second Premier League goal.

Albion’s wait for a first win at Manchester City will extend for another season despite a much-improved second-half performance at the Etihad.

Roberto De Zerbi had warned that a City team trying to avoid three successive league defeats for the first time since 2016 would be very dangerous and by the 19th minute Albion were 2-0 down to goals from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland. In fairness not many teams in the league could have lived with City during that first 45 minutes.

But Albion hit back strongly in the second half. Kaoru Mitoma couldn’t convert either of two good chances in as many minutes, but he did create an opportunity which Ansu Fati tucked away for his second Premier League goal with 15 minutes left. The Seagulls couldn’t force an equaliser though and to add to their frustration Solly March was stretchered off with what looked like a bad knee injury in the closing stages.

Kaoru Mitoma is left frustrated after heading a great chance into the side netting.

De Zerbi had made three changes with Jason Steele, James Milner and Danny Welbeck coming in for Bart Verbruggen, Joel Veltman and Evan Ferguson.

The opening goal came on seven minutes. Albion had already been stretched on their right by Jeremy Doku, who lifted his shot over after ghosting past Milner. Moments later Phil Foden switched play to Doku who went past Pascal Gross and found Alvarez. His shot wasn’t cleanly struck but it looped over Steele and high into the net.

After Mitoma had weaved his way into the box without testing Ortega Albion were forced into an early change when Welbeck was replaced by Ferguson. And their afternoon took another turn for the worst when City doubled their lead. Carlos Baleba’s pass deflected off Bernardo Silva and Haaland took over, shifting the ball onto his left foot and beating Steele with a powerful drive into the bottom corner from the edge of the D. A great strike by the Norwegian.

Joao Pedro tries to burst through the City defence.

Doku should have at least tested Steele after cutting inside but angled his shot wide of the far post and the hosts ended the first half in control.

Joel Veltman replaced Milner at the break and Albion began the second half better, carving carved out their best chance so far on 52 minutes. Manuel Ortega’s pass was cut out by Adingra on the right. He picked out Gross bursting into the box but the German, under pressure from Rodri, fired wide of the near post from eight yards.

Alvarez whipped a free kick from the corner of the box a yard over and Steele needed to be alert when Foden tried to beat him from an acute angle before he beat away Haaland’s shot.

Mitoma had been pretty quiet by his own high standards but then in the space of three minutes he could have scored twice before providing the assist to get Albion back into the game.

Julio Alverez gives Manchester City an early lead.

His first chance came after Lewis Dunk played a great ball down the middle, Fati helped it on with his first touch after coming on and Mitoma sped away from the City defence. Ortega stood tall though and deflected the left-foot shot from the edge of the box wide. Mitoma then rose unmarked at far the far post when Gross swung over the corner but headed into the side netting.

Albion weren’t to be denied a third time. Mitoma was again involved, ghosting past Kyle Walker and stabbing the ball into the box. Manuel Akanji failed to clear and Fati guided a low shot into the bottom corner.

City were reduced to ten men in stoppage time when Akanji held back Fati and picked up his second yellow card. The hosts were well into ‘hold what we have’ mode by then but despite late pressure Albion couldn’t carve out another clear opening.

Albion: Steele, Milner (Veltman 45), Dunk, Igor, March (van Hecke 90); Baleba (Gilmour 65), Gross; Adingra, Joao Pedro (Fati 65), Mitoma, Welbeck (Ferguson 15). Subs not used: Verbruggen, Webster, Dahoud, Lallana.