Monday December 26, 2011 Day 18 Finished The Hawthorns

  1. Baggies hold leaders City

    Baggies hold leaders City

    Manchester City failed to score in a Premier League fixture for the first time this season as they were held to a 0-0 draw by West Brom. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • West Bromwich Albion
    • Manchester City
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Tuesday morning (UK only).
    • 90+3' And that's all. Good point for West Brom, while City's clear lead at the top has disappeared for now. Thanks for following the game with me - join me on Twitter for post-match discussion @liamhappe
    • 90+2' Dzeko spoons one into Row Z. Looks like only goal difference will seperate the two Manc sides tonight, and with a 5 goal win, Fergie's side are closing in on that as well.
    • 90+1' Three minutes extra to be played. Late winner?
    • 90' Silva's diagonal pass into the box causes problems but can only win another corner, which is headed wide of the far post by Dzeko.
    • 89' Odemwingie is off, Gonzalo Jara is on for the Baggies.
    • 87' Jones does well to win a free-kick for the hosts marshalling a Balotelli dribble out for what would have been a goal kick.
    • 86' Balotelli goes down in the box, nothing given but City keep attacking, here's Silva! Great block by Foster! Offside flag goes up as Johnson looms for a rebound.
    • 85' Shouts of handball off a Silva cross inside the Albion box, but I think they were more in hope than expectation from the travelling support.
    • 84' City corner is cleared by Dorrans.
    • 83' Final sub for the away side sees Edin Dzeko return to action from injury in place of Milner.
    • 82' Zabaleta with a dangerous cross from deep on the right, Brom head it away. Berbatov has competed his hat-trick from the spot, it's 5-0 now at Old Trafford.
    • 81' Graham Dorrans replaces Mulumbu in the home side's first switch.
    • 80' He looks in pain, may not be able to carry on. Holding his groin. Valencia had made it four for United against Wigan.
    • 79' City attack but Mulumbu is down in the centre of the pitch and play grinds to a halt.
    • 78' This is now the only Prem game today without a goal yet. Stoke and Villa yet to come this evening.
    • 77' A quickfire double has put Newcastle two up at Bolton. Ben Arfa and Ba in the space of three minutes.
    • 76' Both sides connecting with a series of cracking challenges. Really putting the first half to shame now. Just needs a goal. Could come either way, too.
    • 75' Second City switch: Aguero's game is over. Adam Johnson comes on.
    • 73' Thomas from 20 yards! OFF THE POST! Great low drive!
    • 72' Yaya Toure was booked, not Balotelli. Apologies.
    • 71' Aguero weaves and jinks on the left-hand side of the box, before trying his luck from a difficult angle and seeing it blocked.
    • 70' No need for that, really, Jones was going nowhere with that inside his own final third.
    • 69' Balotelli goes into the book for a clumsy late challenge on Jones.
    • 68' Good even game in the second half thus far, much better than the first.
    • 67' Brunt with the shot from the set piece... narrowly wide.
    • 66' Thomas wins the hosts a free-kick in a good position after a foul by Milner.
    • 65' The corner is cleared into the path of Toure, who volleys way off-target.
    • 64' Another good spell of attack from City, and Milner heads a cross from the left into the box to Aguero! McAuley with a vital intervention!
    • 63' Another Baggies corner, their fifth to City's 6, but the away side get it away once more.
    • 62' Berbatov's second has made it three for Man Utd.
    • 61' Shorey completes a clever nut-meg on a City player, but still can't get into the leaders' danger zone.
    • 60' Silva shoots straight at Foster after Aguero does well holding the ball up on the edge of the box.
    • 59' First sub of the game: Nasri makes way for Gareth Barry.
    • 58' Maxi has pulled Liverpool level, as has Baines for Everton from the spot.
    • 57' The corner is overhit but Kompany takes no chances, heading it away from goal anyway, for an Albion attacking throw. Error from Toure allows Thomas to whip in a wicked cross, though, and somehow Long heads wide from point blank!
    • 56' Odemwingie goes for goal when he had options for the pass, but wins the corner thanks to Kompany closing the attempt down.
    • 55' A set piece for West Brom out on the right by the corner flag is wasted and City win a defensive free-kick.
    • 54' Balotelli gets set to cross, no he's going for goal! AND HITS THE BAR! What an effort! He was deep on the left wing!
    • 53' Aguero's free-kick doesn't beat the first defender. Blackburn lead Liverpool at Anfield. Charlie Adam's own goal on the stroke of half-time.
    • 52' The foul was actually from Jones. Scharner was just talking himself into trouble once again. How he hasn't been booked yet...
    • 51' Balotelli is fouled by Scharner after good interplay between the Italian and Silva.
    • 50' Again, Albion break from the pressure but again they are unable to reach City's final third.
    • 49' Milner shoots well off-target after City work the corner short.
    • 48' Great work by Balotelli on the left to enter the box from the wing, beating two defenders, and he settles for winning the corner with no options remaining at a tight angle.
    • 47' A clearance from the back leads to the home side winning an attacking throw right near the byline, but it's one from which they're unable to create a chance.
    • 46' City get the second 45 underway.
    • 45+2' And that's exactly how long we play before the whistle sounds. Goalless at the break, and for the most part lifeless too.
    • 45+1' Just the one minute added on at the end of the first half.
    • 45' Driven cross attempt from the left by Milner put behind for a corner by Mulumbu, and the subsequent set piece is caught safely by Foster.
    • 44' He's back on his feet and play resumes. Berbatov has doubled Man United's lead against Wigan, who had Conor Sammon sent off minutes prior.
    • 43' Balotelli collides with Odemwingie and is hurt on the ground. Play stops while he receives treatment.
    • 42' Dangerous Silva cross volleyed away by Mulumbu.
    • 40' Yaya attempts a give-and-go with Silva on the right, but the final pass is overhit and goes out for a goal kick.
    • 38' Albion work the corner short to build some possession, until Odemwingie is caught offside out on the left.
    • 37' Here come the hosts on the break again after an error from Silva, and Kompany has to put the cross from the left behind at full stretch to prevent Long from connecting!
    • 36' However, Thomas messes up a first-time pass on the counter and City have a throw on the halfway line.
    • 35' Silva crosses to nothing but white and blue striped shirts.
    • 34' Balotelli half-connects again from a Aguero assist, but though the volley finds its way into the net, the flag was up.
    • 33' Balotelli scuffs a shot for Foster to dive low and save comfortably.
    • 32' Great flat sprint by Balotelli to prevent a certain goal kick on the left. He cuts it inside to Aguero who is muscled off the ball by Jones before he can shoot.
    • 31' Only other goal so far from 3pm, with the exception of the Man United opener mentioned earlier, is Jack Colback giving Sunderland the lead at home to Everton.
    • 30' City win two more in succession, and from the third Balotelli heads wide of the near post under heavy pressure from his marker.
    • 29' Balotelli goes for goal from the FK, low and hard but hits the wall and dribbles wide of the post for a corner.
    • 28' City win a free-kick just behind the 'D'. Scharner the man guilty there.
    • 27' Albion deal with the City corner, but the away side regain possession just inside their own half.
    • 26' Great dribble into the box from Aguero, beating two before winning a corner off Jones' slide interception to prevent a shot.
    • 25' The home defence cut out another City attack, and win the throw-in to boot.
    • 24' Aguero receives the ball from Yaya's educated cross-field pass to the left wing and cuts inside the box to SILVA! Over the bar, but that should have been buried.
    • 23' City beginning to take over large portions of possession, but the Baggies are doing well to keep them out of their danger zone for the most part.
    • 21' Balotelli dummies for Aguero, who cannot get past Jones.
    • 20' Unreasonably long pause in play now ahead of a WBA defensive throw. We're finally back up and running.
    • 19' This one comes to nothing but a series of complaints from Scharner for something which earn him what looks like a verbal warning from Mr. Mason.
    • 18' It leads to a series of blocked shots and eventually, a second corner from the opposite side.
    • 17' Hart tips an awkward shot from Scharner wins the first corner of the game for the home side.
    • 15' Thomas' mazy run is eventually snuffed out by the City back line.
    • 14' A Silva cross attempt from the left is deflected into the path of Nasri, whose low drive from 20 yards is held by Foster.
    • 12' Milner heads wide of the mark.
    • 11' Long is caught offside attempting to run onto a long punt from the back.
    • 10' Zabaleta gives away a free-kick in the Brom half for a handball.
    • 9' Almost a chance for City now, but a couple of final pass attempts are slightly awry and the hosts get it away.
    • 8' Just as I say that, Park has put United ahead at home to Wigan. Still gridlocked in midfield here in the Midlands.
    • 7' No early goals in the 3pm kickoffs elsewhere in the Prem, though we have a full report up from earlier today when Fulham held local rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea 1-1 Fulham
    • 5' McAuley intercepts Aguero's low cross looking for Balotelli. Silva was the man whose impressive cross picked out Nasri moments ago.
    • 4' Nasri has a volley closed down by the Baggies defence.
    • 3' And it's Thomas who sets up Brunt to turn and aim the game's first shot wide of the far post from just outside the City box.
    • 2' Calm start at the Hawthorns, though Thomas and Silva both look particularly up for this one already.
    • 1' Today's senior official is Lee Mason, and he gets us underway with the home side kicking off the first half.
    • 14:55 Man City have the best conversion rate in the 2011-12 Premier League season so far, scoring with 22% of their attempts, and Mario Balotelli has scored six goals in his six league starts this season. There have been three red cards in the last three Premier League meetings between West Brom and Man City at the Hawthorns.
    • 14:50 West Brom are looking for their 50th league victory over Manchester City. However, the Baggies have lost five of their last eight Premier League games at the Hawthorns (W2 D1 L5) They have also conceded a penalty in each of their last four home matches.
    • 14:45 City skipper Vincent Kompany believes this will finally be the Manchester club's season to shine - and on recent form, that of course is a very safe prediction. Full article
    • 14:40 Man City boss Roberto Mancini: "I have a lot of respect for West Bromwich, and I have a lot of respect for Roy Hodgson - he is one of the best managers in Europe. I think it will be very hard because they play good football. They have had some problems but they have won their last two away games and seem to be in good form, it will be a hard match," added Mancini, whose side lead champions Manchester United by two points."
    • 14:35 Hodgson continued: "We're not doing badly, the club is making very big strides to being a very stable Premier League club in the category of Stoke, Everton and Fulham. At the start of every season they are not thinking 'can we stay up?' They are thinking 'can we get into the top 10?' It would be nice to be in that situation."
    • 14:30 West Brom manager Roy Hodgson: "What is most important is getting through this difficult second season so we don't fall foul of what is know as the 'second season syndrome'. That has caused so many heartaches to so many clubs who have come up into the Premier League, had an initial good season only to go down the following year."
    • 14:25 TEAMS - West Brom: Foster; Jones, McAuley, Olsson Shorey; Thomas, Scharner, Mulumbu, Brunt; Odemwingie, Long. Subs: Fulop, Dorrans, Jara Reyes, Dawson, Thorne, Cox, Fortune. /// Man City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Kompany, Clichy; Yaya Toure, Milner; Silva, Aguero, Nasri; Balotelli. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Dzeko, A Johnson, Savic, Barry, De Jong.
    • 14:20 A minimum of a point should ensure the visitors end the day still on top of the league, by goal difference at the very least, with rivals Manchester United playing host to Wigan today. A superb win at the Sports Direct Arena propelled Roy Hodgson's men into the top half of the table, and an upset this afternoon could put them as high as 8th, pending other results. Premier League table
    • 14:15 Good afternoon and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the festive fixture in the Premier League between West Bromich Albion and Manchester City!

  • Summary

    • 86' Balotelli goes down in the box, nothing given but City keep attacking, here's Silva! Great block by Foster! Offside flag goes up as Johnson looms for a rebound.
    • 73' Thomas from 20 yards! OFF THE POST! Great low drive!
    • 67' Brunt with the shot from the set piece... narrowly wide.
    • 64' Another good spell of attack from City, and Milner heads a cross from the left into the box to Aguero! McAuley with a vital intervention!
    • 57' The corner is overhit but Kompany takes no chances, heading it away from goal anyway, for an Albion attacking throw. Error from Toure allows Thomas to whip in a wicked cross, though, and somehow Long heads wide from point blank!
    • 54' Balotelli gets set to cross, no he's going for goal! AND HITS THE BAR! What an effort! He was deep on the left wing!
    • 37' Here come the hosts on the break again after an error from Silva, and Kompany has to put the cross from the left behind at full stretch to prevent Long from connecting!
    • 34' Balotelli half-connects again from a Aguero assist, but though the volley finds its way into the net, the flag was up.
    • 24' Aguero receives the ball from Yaya's educated cross-field pass to the left wing and cuts inside the box to SILVA! Over the bar, but that should have been buried.
    • 14:25 TEAMS - West Brom: Foster; Jones, McAuley, Olsson Shorey; Thomas, Scharner, Mulumbu, Brunt; Odemwingie, Long. Subs: Fulop, Dorrans, Jara Reyes, Dawson, Thorne, Cox, Fortune. /// Man City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Kompany, Clichy; Yaya Toure, Milner; Silva, Aguero, Nasri; Balotelli. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Dzeko, A Johnson, Savic, Barry, De Jong.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.3 8
      Defenders
      6.6 7
      6.9 8
      7.1 8
      6.8 8
      Midfielders
      7.2 7
      Substitution Out80′ 6.6 7
      6.8 8
      7 7
      Strikers
      Substitution Out89′ 7.3 7
      7 6
      Subs
      Substitution In89′ 6.3 4
      Substitution In80′ 6.5 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.4 7
      Defenders
      5.5 6
      5 7
      6.3 7
      4.6 6
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out83′ 5.4 6
      Yellow Card 6 7
      7.8 8
      Substitution Out59′ 5.3 6
      Strikers
      6.4 7
      Substitution Out75′ 7.6 7
      Subs
      Substitution In59′ 5.2 6
      Substitution In75′ 6.3 6
      Substitution In83′ 5.7 5

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