Manchester City 1 - 1 West Bromwich Albion: Finished | 2020-12-15 | Premier League

Goalkeepers	G	GC	SAV
Ederson	0	1	1

Forwards	G	GA	S	FC	FW
Gabriel Jesus	0	0	1	0	1

Midfielders	G	GA	S	FC	FW
Ilkay Gündogan 30'	1	0	3	0	2
Raheem Sterling	0	1	2	1	1
Rodrigo	0	0	3	1	1
Kevin De Bruyne	0	0	3	0	1
Phil Foden 76'	0	0	1	0	1

Defenders	S	FC	FW
João Cancelo	2	1	0
Rúben Dias 43'	0	0	1
Nathan Aké	0	2	0
Benjamin Mendy 75'	1	0	0

Substitutes	S	FC	FW
Kyle Walker 75'(Benjamin Mendy)	0	0	0
Sergio Agüero 76'(Phil Foden)	2	0	0
Bernardo Silva	0	0	0
Ferran Torres	0	0	0
Riyad Mahrez	0	0	0
Aymeric Laporte	0	0	0
Zack Steffen	0	-	-

Goalkeepers	G	GC	SAV
Sam Johnstone	0	1	7

Forwards	G	GA	S	FC	FW
Karlan Grant 70'	0	0	1	1	0

Midfielders	S	FC	FW
Romaine Sawyers	0	3	0
Conor Gallagher	1	1	1
Grady Diangana	0	0	1
Matt Phillips 87'	1	1	1
Jake Livermore 80'	0	1	0

Defenders	S	FC
Darnell Furlong	1	0
Kieran Gibbs	0	0
Semi Ajayi	1	1
Dara O'Shea	0	0

Substitutes	FC	FW
Charlie Austin 70'(Karlan Grant)	0	1
Filip Krovinovic 80'(Jake Livermore)	0	1
Lee Peltier 87'(Matt Phillips)	0	0
Branislav Ivanovic	0	0
Callum Robinson	0	0
Kamil Grosicki	0	0
David Button	-	-

90'+5'

Man City now face a tricky trip to Southampton this weekend, while West Brom host their rivals Aston Villa. If West Brom do stay up this season, this result may well be the launchpad. That's all for now. Goodbye!

90'+5'

This draw lifts Man City to sixth in the Premier League, level on 20 points with four other teams. It's so congested in the top half at the moment. City'd be sixth even if they had won, but they've missed the chance to make up ground on Chelsea who have also dropped points. West Brom stay 19th. The point doesn't change much for them but it will be a massive morale boost.

90'+5'

West Brom leave the Etihad with a point after a display of enormous collective resolve. The visitors grabbed a fortuitous equaliser in the first half and clung onto it despite Man City throwing everything at them in the second half, especially late on. Man City can only view this as two points dropped.

90'+5'

FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 WEST BROM

90'+4'

Johnstone makes another vital save to deny City! The West Brom keeper's making a late claim for Ajayi's man of the match award. He makes a miraculous stop with his feet to prevent Sterling from scoring as De Bruyne fires another dangerous cross into the box.

90'+4'

Ake gives West Brom a breather at the worst possible time as Krovinovic buys a free-kick. Ake's booked for the foul. Will that be enough for West Brom?

90'+3'

Gundogan's free-kick whizzes just wide of the right-hand post, hitting the side netting. That was inches from going in. Can West Brom survive this final Man City onslaught?

90'+2'

Sterling wins a free-kick outside West Brom's box as Sawyers desperately barges in to stop Sterling shooting.

90'+1'

What a save by Johnstone! West Brom's keeper sticks out a leg to keep out Gundogan's header from point-blank range after De Bruyne fired a pinpoint cross to the German. How crucial will that turn out to be?

90'

Man City have four minutes in which to win this. Guardiola protests with the fourth official for more time but four minutes is all his team will get.

90'

Peltier is shown the yellow card for running down the clock. You can't blame him.

89'

Johnstone claims Cancelo's lofted pass into the box. West Brom will more than settle for this.

88'

Aguero lashes wide as City counter when West Brom's defensive line decides to venture out beyond its own box. Now isn't the time for that.

87'

West Brom substitution. The hardworking Phillips is replaced by the 34-year-old defender Peltier.

86'

Johnstone makes a great plunging save to deny De Bruyne! The West Brom keeper dives to his left unsighted to keep out the Belgian's low, bouncing effort.

85'

Sawyers clips the leg of Gundogan just to the left of West Brom's D. Man City have a free-kick. De Bruyne will take it.

83'

De Bruyne aims for the head of Aguero in the box. The excellent Ajayi is in the right place to intercept. If West Brom come away from this with a point, it will be a massive result for them.

82'

O'Shea tracks De Bruyne's run to block the Belgian's cross-cum-shot. De Bruyne skips inside to try again and finds himself shut out once more. Ake does Austin a favour by fouling him.

81'

It's another Man City corner. Aguero flicks it on but Cancelo's touch lets him down. We're into the last 10 minutes.

80'

West Brom substitution. Krovinovic is on for Livermore. Ajayi takes the captain's armband. He deserves it for this performance.

79'

Austin gets a touch on the corner and it loops up into the arms of Johnstone. West Brom can venture out of their own third for the first time in a while. Ajayi presents the ball to Rodri and Sawyers makes a quick foul to stop the situation getting worse.

78'

It's in by De Bruyne and out as far as Cancelo. De Bruyne tries again and Ajayi flicks it out for another corner. It's going to be backs to the wall stuff from West Brom now.

77'

Walker's cross is blocked but West Brom have nowhere to go. Walker wallops the ball towards goal and O'Shea gets up to head it out for a corner.

76'

Here he comes. Aguero enters the pitch in place of the quiet Foden. West Brom have two City strikers to worry about now.

75'

Guardiola's had enough and rings in the changes. Mendy gives way to Walker. Cancelo will switch sides.

73'

Aguero is getting ready to come on. That's a menacing prospect for West Brom's defence. Ajayi makes a fantastic interception to stop De Bruyne getting through on goal.

71'

De Bruyne clatters a cross off a defender. Man City get their 10th corner of the game. West Brom again see it out. City come back seconds later as De Bruyne feeds Foden wide right. Foden jinks inside and gets ready to shoot but shows too much of the ball to Sawyers who clears.

70'

Here's that West Brom change. Austin comes on to replace Grant in ploughing a lone furrow up front.

69'

Rodri gets slightly impatient and takes a shot from distance, blazing over. West Brom get a few seconds' respite after that extended spell of City dominance. The visitors will make a change.

67'

We're entering the final quarter of the game and Man City are seeking to crank things up. Johnstone makes a smart save from De Bruyne's snap shot at the near post. West Brom see out the corner but they're facing growing pressure.

66'

Man City aren't in yet but they're knocking on the door. De Bruyne's powerful cross is met by a West Brom head and Foden goes for an instinctive overhead kick, firing wide.

65'

Rodri looks for Mendy jinking inside at the far post. Mendy mishandles the pass and it goes to Johnstone. Guardiola gives Mendy an earful for his lax control.

63'

Man City are struggling to find a way through the wall of red-and-yellow West Brom bodies. Cancelo's fairly desperate shot takes a kind deflection and almost rolls into the path of Gundogan. Johnstone smothers it like a flash.

62'

Ajayi clears another cross from Cancelo. West Brom take the chance to break upfield and Phillips drives wide from outside the box.

61'

Cancelo checks onto his left foot and sends a dropping ball towards the far post. Furlong and Johnstone miscommunicate at first before Johnstone eventually comes out to gather it.

59'

Jesus is back on the pitch and straight back in action as he looks to latch onto a Gundogan pass. Johnstone is alert and makes a no-nonsense clearance.

57'

City's corner comes in. Jesus and Gibbs contest the header with Gibbs taking the sting out of Jesus' flick. Johnstone makes himself big and blocks Sterling's close-range shot at the far post. Jesus stays down for some minor treatment as he's come out of that challenge with Gibbs bleeding at the mouth.

56'

Ederson rushes out of his goal to slide in and win possession on the edge of the box. City's keeper looks straight forward for Jesus who succeeds in winning a corner up the other end.

55'

O'Shea does well to deny Gundogan. It'll be another City corner. Jesus leaps high to reach Gundogan's corner and the Brazilian's header loops onto the roof of the net.

53'

De Bruyne pokes a shot wide after Livermore gives the ball away in a dangerous area. City's captain has been involved but not at his influential best yet.

51'

West Brom deal with the corner. Rodri has a pop from distance and it curves way wide.

50'

Sterling's pass is cleverly blocked by Sawyers who weaves away from danger. West Brom's discipline has served them very well in this match. Cancelo flashes the ball across goal and Johnstone pushes it out for a corner.

49'

West Brom get a corner down their right which Phillips takes. Again, Man City can't completely get rid of it and Phillips gets a second chance to swing the ball in. It deflects off Mendy and into the grateful arms of Ederson.

45'+1'

Man City had 77 per cent possession in that first half but could only muster two shots on target, the same number that West Brom had. City have lacked their old cutting edge this season and that's been evidenced again so far. West Brom will fancy their chances now, having scored the first goal City have conceded in 608 minutes. How will City respond to that West Brom equaliser?

47'

Sterling drives at Phillips inside the penalty area and cuts back to find Cancelo. Ajayi clears Cancelo's shot as it trickles towards him.

45'+1'

Man City and West Brom go in at half-time improbably level. West Brom have worked exceptionally hard to limit City's shooting opportunities and had the best chance of the game through Grant before Gundogan opened the scoring. West Brom hung in there and got their reward through Ajayi at the end of the half. More to come!

45'+1'

Cancelo is shown a yellow card by the referee after the half-time whistle for saying a bit too much. Unsure what the defender's complaining about.

45'+1'

HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 WEST BROM

45'

Man City get the second half started. The hosts have resisted making any changes for now. Let's see how long that lasts.

45'

Ajayi's goal may well go down as an Dias own goal as the shot took a nick off the defender. It wasn't a huge deflection but Ajayi's shot was heading off target otherwise and it was enough to wrongfoot Ederson. There'll be one added minute in this half.

43'

GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 WEST BROM! Ajayi scores his first ever Premier League goal. Man City don't do a great job of clearing the free-kick and Ajayi tries his luck from the edge of the box. The defender's low effort hits Dias, goes under Ederson and in!

42'

Diangana bustles down the left flank and earns a free-kick off Cancelo. West Brom now have the chance to threaten Man City for the first time in a while.

41'

City's free-kick from the right doesn't lead to much. West Brom hook it away.

40'

Gallagher earns himself a yellow card for a crude challenge on Jesus to the right of West Brom's box.

39'

This first half display from Man City pretty much sums up their first few months of this campaign. Guardiola's team have been competent and solid at the back but are lacking the attacking spark of previous seasons.

37'

Man City are searching for a second goal but West Brom are holding firm so far. De Bruyne spots Foden in the box. Foden spins and tries to shift the ball onto his right foot but Ajayi makes a vital interception. De Bruyne's corner ends with Cancelo shinning wide at the far post.

35'

Cancelo is taking up an unusually central position for a full-back. The notional defender first has a pass for Jesus cut out, then lets fly from range. It's nothing that Johnstone can't handle though.

33'

That Gundogan goal, by the way, is his first in 22 Premier League games. The German last netted against Leicester in December last year. Mendy's cross into the box is easily caught by Johnstone.

32'

Gallagher receives the ball from Livermore and decides he could do worse than taking a shot from range. He's right too, as the loanee's effort isn't too far wide of the right-hand post.

30'

That was a decent assist for Sterling who's had a quiet start to the season. It's unlucky for West Brom too who've worked hard in the opening half hour of this game.

30'

GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 WEST BROM! City take the lead with a beautifully crafted goal. Sterling jinks down the right and cuts back in the box for the arriving Gundogan. Gundogan smashes it down the middle and into the net.

29'

Man City are on top but aren't getting anywhere in particular. Phillips, acting as an auxiliary full-back, is on hand to clear from Mendy. Grant briefly looks like he might be able to create something but Ake sees him off.

27'

City work the ball around on the edge of West Brom's penalty area and Foden has a shot blocked. Sterling tries to wriggle his way through but Phillips manages to see the danger out.

25'

De Bruyne gets around Gallagher down the right. Gallagher does well to get back and block the cross. De Bruyne's corner is aimed towards Rodri behind the penalty spot. There's a lot of traffic around the Spaniard and he can't keep his header down.

23'

The offside flag goes up against Grant who's minding his own business near the halfway line. West Brom will have to stay alert with further chances for them likely to come few and far between.

21'

Cancelo cuts inside and curls the ball towards Mendy who smashes it on the volley. The Frenchman's effort goes way over. It's hard to know what Mendy intended to do there but it would have been glorious had it gone in.

20'

West Brom are mostly defending, which isn't a surprise, but their defensive line is not as deep as you'd expect. Dias floats a pass forward and Phillips can't make up his mind about what to do with it, forcing Johnstone to punt it out for a throw.

18'

Rodri spots the run of Sterling into the box unmarked and clips a pass towards the England winger. There's too much power on it though and it goes out for a goal-kick. Guardiola throws his arms up in frustration.

16'

Foden speeds away from Diangana down the left and fires in a low cross that deflects out for another City corner. Sawyers snatches it clear but Man City come straight back. Ajayi gets in front of Jesus to knock the ball out for a throw-in.

14'

Johnstone's switch of play from the goal-kick goes wrong as the West Brom goalkeeper hands possession straight to Cancelo, blocking his cross shortly after. Man City win a corner down their left which West Brom clear.

13'

Man City put some scintillating play together involving Foden, De Bruyne, Gundogan and Sterling. It ends in Sterling being judged offside but City went up a gear there. It's always in their capacity to do that.

12'

De Bruyne wins a free-kick in West Brom's half as he's fouled by Ajayi. The Belgian flings it into the box and Johnstone comes confidently out of his goal to claim it.

10'

Phillips sends the corner in and Furlong heads wide. Looking again at Grant's chance, he could have put more power in the shot. In the end he went for finesse and gave Ederson enough time to set himself. Moments like that may not come around too often for Grant and his team.

8'

Chance for West Brom! Furlong lofts a cross into the penalty area but Rodri heads it out. Gallagher's pass deflects off Cancelo into the path of Grant who forces a low save from Ederson! It goes out for a corner, but that's a massive opportunity for the visitors early on in this game.

6'

De Bruyne's corner comes in. Gallagher ends up winning a free-kick as Rodri clips the Chelsea loanee while he makes the clearance.

5'

Man City are getting settled now. Gundogan looks forward for Cancelo. Gibbs intercepts the German's pass and it goes out for City's first corner of the game.

3'

West Brom enjoy a spell on the ball, seeing off some City pressure. Phillips races down the wing but the offside flag is up against the visitors' striker Grant.

2'

Man City get hold of the ball almost straight away. No doubt they'll be very acquainted with it in this game. Cancelo plays an exchange with De Bruyne down the right but can't keep the Belgian's return pass in play.

1'

West Brom get this midweek game underway!

-

The two sides are out on the pitch in Manchester. Man City will wear their customary sky blue shirts and white shorts. West Brom are wearing a red-and-yellow striped away kit. It's distinctive, let's say that.

-

Man City have won their last 13 Premier League games against West Brom - it's their longest winning run against a single opponent in their top-flight history. West Brom have never tasted victory at the Etihad - the Baggies' last away win to Man City came at Maine Road in February 2003. Is that about to change?

-

Man City make four changes from the side that started a drab 0-0 in the Manchester derby this past weekend. Ake, Mendy, Gundogan and Foden come in. There are three changes to the West Brom side that lost 2-1 to Newcastle. Diangana, Livermore and Gibbs start.

-

SUBS: Lee Peltier, Branislav Ivanovic, Callum Robinson, Filip Krovinovic, Charlie Austin, David Button, Kamil Grosicki.

-

WEST BROM (4-1-4-1): Sam Johnstone; Darnell Furlong, Semi Ajayi, Dara O'Shea, Kieran Gibbs; Jake Livermore; Grady Diangana, Conor Gallagher, Romaine Sawyers, Matt Phillips; Karlan Grant.

-

SUBS: Aymeric Laporte, Zack Steffen, Kyle Walker, Riyad Mahrez, Ferran Torres, Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva.

-

MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Benjamin Mendy; Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan; Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne (c), Raheem Sterling; Gabriel Jesus.

-

West Brom haven't found it easy to adapt to the Premier League this season as the Baggies sit firmly in the relegation zone. While a result here won't completely turn things around for Slaven Bilic's team, it will put them in a promising position for what is sure to be a hectic Christmas period.

-

Man City welcome promoted West Brom to the Etihad boasting a formidable home record against promoted sides. Pep Guardiola's side are unbeaten in their last 39 Premier League home games against sides new to the division. City will want a routine midweek runout here to continue their climb up the table.

-

Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this Premier League match between Manchester City and West Brom at the Etihad Stadium.

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