Albion's comeback stuns the champions

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Albion 2 Manchester City 1: Subs Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley floor City.

Bruce Talbot

2024-11-09T19:20+00:00

Matt O'Riley. Welcome to the Premier League. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion came from behind to beat champions City at a vibrant Amex thanks to goals from two of their substitutes.

Albion trailed to Erling Haaland’s first-half goal until the 78th minute when they floored City with two goals in four minutes.

Joao Pedro lashed the equaliser into the roof of the net from close range before his defence-splitting pass allowed Matt O’Riley to win it with a composed finish. Not a bad way to celebrate your Premier League debut.

After a rocky first 30 minutes Albion were the better team and had other chances to score before the intervention of their super subs. And while the scorers will take a lot of credit Carlos Baleba brought energy and a physical presence to Albion’s midfield, making a vital contribution to the victory from the bench.

Delight for Joao Pedro after he got Albion on level terms. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

The first ten minutes or so had been cagey but the champions then found another gear. Bart Verbruggen made his first save on 15 minutes, getting his right hand down to block a shot by Savinho, who had been played in by Mateo Kovacic’s pinpoint pass.

Yasin Ayari’s bear hug on Phil Foden earned him a booking before City took the lead. Ayari’s pass was cut out and Kovacic threaded another great ball between Albion’s two central defenders. Verbruggen did well to parry Haaland’s shot but the Norwegian reacted to force the ball into the net despite Jan Paul van Hecke’s desperate attempt to hook it off the line.

Verbruggen came to Albion’s rescue again with another instinctive save onto the near post to deny Haaland, who also headed a corner over. Kovacic then tested Albion’s keeper with a stinging volley as the hosts came under more pressure. City were breaking Albion’s press easily and looking ominously good.

Joao Pedro makes it 1-1 shortly after coming off the bench. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

But on 35 minutes Albion nearly levelled. Kaoru Mitoma was released in space by Jack Hinshelwood’s fine pass and laid the ball into the path of Danny Welbeck, but Josko Gvardiol slid across to block with his body as Welbeck tried to steer the shot into the corner.

Now the Seagulls were pressing high themselves and forcing mistakes, and when Rico Lewis brought down Welbeck 22 yards out Albion’s top scorer bent the free kick around the wall – but into the side netting.

Baleba replaced Ayari at the break and Albion maintained the momentum they had at the end of the first half. They had another great chance seven minutes after the break when Pervis Estupinan’s cross picked out and unmarked Jack Hinshelwood whose close-range header had plenty of power but was placed too near to Ederson who pushed it away to his left.

Matt O'Riley steers the winning goal past Ederson. 📷 by James Boardman.

Hinshelwood limped off shortly afterwards and O’Riley came on for his Premier League debut.

It was end to end. Igor crucially intercepted Haaland’s ball across the face of goal with Savinho waiting to pounce before Mitoma got the better of Kyle Walker to cross but Georginio Rutter’s header sailed over.

Hurzeler brought on Joao and Brajan Gruda and Joao nearly made an immediate impact. Van Hecke’s long pass down the left found the Brazilian who brought it superbly under control and held off Walker but couldn’t guide the bouncing ball past Ederson.

Baleba had added energy to midfield and one surge past three challenges had the crowd on its feet. Albion built another attack through Joao, Mitoma and O’Riley but O’Riley’s cross was hacked away by Gvardiol with Welbeck ready to pounce.

Jack Hinshelwood got on the end of Pervis Estupinan's cross. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion got what they deserved with 12 minutes to go. Three City defenders, under pressure from Welbeck, should have dealt with Mitoma’s cross but didn’t and Joao thrashed the loose ball high into the net from six yards.

Four minutes later it was 2-1. Sharp passing involving Baleba and Welbeck cut City’s defence open before Joao slipped a great pass between two defenders and O’Riley showed great composure as he steered it past Ederson.

Now Albion showed their resilience and in the remaining eight minutes and nine of stoppage time there were only a couple of scares when Kevin De Bruyne whipped a shot just wide and Foden’s low effort missed the far post by inches.

Albion players mob Matt O'Riley after he made it 2-1. 📷 by James Boardman.

The final whistle was greeted with a roar that might have been heard at the Etihad and Albion are in the Champions League places after a statement win.

Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman, van Hecke, Igor, Hinshelwood, Adingra (Joao 65), Ayari (Baleba 45), Hinshelwood (O’Riley 57), Mitoma, Rutter (Gruda 65), Welbeck.