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Ruben Dias’ own goal was Manchester City’s first goal in all competitions in 608 minutes.
West Brom, threatened by relegation, scored its first point at the Etihad Stadium since 2005 when goalkeeper Sam Johnstone made two stops point-blank in injury time to deny Manchester City’s victory.
City appeared to be heading for their usual home win against Albion when Ilkay Gundogan first applied a shot to Raheem Sterling’s cut after half an hour.
But the midfielder’s first goal in 22 games was disallowed before the break when a spinning volley from Semi Ajayi, who appeared to be deflected, deflected Ruben Dias and City goalkeeper Ederson two minutes before the break.
It was the City’s first goal in 608 minutes and was followed by a valiant effort with their backs to the wall from the visitors of Slaven Bilic, who defended heroically.
But it would all have counted for nothing without the efforts of Johnstone, who first denied Gundogan, then Sterling in a frenzy.
West Brom will have great confidence in the result, despite the fact that they are still second in line in the Premier League.
However, for City, it was definitely two points they did not expect to lose, leaving them sixth, five points off the top of the table.
- Follow the reaction from Tuesday’s games here
Baggies fighting for a point
The visitors had lost each of their last nine visits to the Etihad Stadium and hopes could not have been especially high on their last trip, given that they had won once all season and that success, at home against bottom-row Sheffield United, it was the only time he avoided defeat in a six-game streak.
It’s no wonder that Bilic’s future is a subject of much debate, or that Baggies’ boss seemed flustered as he tried to cheer on his team during an opening period that could hardly have been more one-sided.
City enjoyed 77% possession, but at the beginning of the half came a golden opportunity that West Brom should have seized, and at the end of the first period, a disheveled one they did.
On a tight budget, Bilic lobbied the Baggies board to pay Huddersfield £ 15 million for striker Karlan Grant on the deadline.
Returning a goal from nine games before this one isn’t good enough, and he won’t have many better chances than he did after seven minutes, directly in front of goal, 10 yards, with only Ederson to beat.
Grant’s shot lacked conviction, didn’t get close enough to the corner and allowed the keeper to attack.
Ajayi’s deviant draw was unexpected, but it gave West Brom something to hold on to. In partnership with Dara O’Shea, Ajayi was outstanding in the second half.
Despite offering no threat at the other end, the collective effort of the visitors was far better than anything previously produced in a season in which they had conceded 25 goals in their first 12 games, more than any other team.
And Johnstone’s heroic deeds ultimately ensured that the defenders’ efforts were rewarded with tangible payoff.
Offensive fights for Guardiola’s City
City still have some really great players, but it feels like midfielder David Silva’s losses to Real Sociedad in the closed season, and Sergio Agüero through injury for much of the season, have robbed them of key attacking threats.
Despite his possession, clear opportunities were a rare commodity. Benjamin Mendy and Rodri deviated with efforts that could be classified as more hopeful than threatening.
Sterling’s inventiveness created Gundogan’s goal when he delayed his cut long enough to put the German midfielder in the perfect spot, but too often City made the wrong choice and ended up crashing into a wall of red and yellow jerseys.
Johnstone denied Sterling after the interval with a clever reaction save, but as desperate punt followed desperate punt and block after block, City boss Pep Guardiola grew increasingly agitated.
At one point, he almost resorted to chasing the ball when it went out of play to try to keep up his team’s attacking momentum, and when fourth official Anthony Taylor was about to signal the minimum amount of extra time left to play, Guardiola hit from funny way his head across the board, as if to say that the number was wrong.
Back on the bench after a bout of gastroenteritis, Agüero’s introduction midway through the second period marked new hope for City. But the Argentine lost his best chance with three minutes remaining, and former Manchester United goalkeeper Johnstone did the rest.
Man of the match
Johnstone as Sam Johnstone
with an average of 9.21
- Manchester CityManchester CityWest BromWest Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion
Manchester CityAvg Squad Number17 Player Name De Bruyne Average Score
4.70
Squad number 8 Player name Gündogan Average rating
4.52
Squad number 31 Player name Ederson Average rating
4.30
Squad Number 7 Player Name Sterling Average Rating
4.08
Squad number 10 Player name Agüero Average rating
4.08
Squad number 3 Player name Rúben Dias Average rating
4.05
Squad number 27 Player name João Cancelo Average score
4.01
Squad number 9 Player name Gabriel Jesus Average rating
3.98
Squad number 6 Player name Aké Average rating
3.97
Squad number 16 Player name Rodri Average rating
3.97
Squad number 22 Player name Mendy Average rating
3.93
Squad number 2 Player name Walker Average rating
3.85
Squad Number 47 Player Name Foden Average Rating
3.59
West Bromwich Albion Average Team Number 1 Player Name Johnstone Average Rating
9.21
Squad Number 6 Player Name Ajayi Average Rating
8.28
Squad Number 27 Player Name O’Shea Average Rating
8.27
Squad Number 18 Player Name Gallagher Average Rating
7.99
Squad Number 2 Player Name Furlong Average Rating
7.83
Squad Number 3 Player Name Gibbs Average Rating
7.70
Squad number 10 Player name Phillips Average rating
7.68
Squad Number 11 Player Name Diangana Average Rating
7.63
Squad Number 19 Player Name Sawyers Average Rating
7.59
Squad Number 8 Player Name Liverpool Average Rating
7.50
Squad number 17 Player name Krovinovic Average rating
7.36
Squad Number 15 Player Name Austin Average Rating
7.32
Squad number 22 Player name Peltier Average rating
7.29
Squad Number 29 Player Name Award Average Rating
7.25
- Lineups Match Statistics Live Text
LineupsMan City
- 31Ederson27CancelReserved at 45 minutes3Rúben Dias6AkéReserved at 90 minutes22MendyReplaced byWalkerat 75’minutes16Rodri8Gündogan7Sterling17De Bruyne47FodenReplaced byAgüeroat 76’minutes9Gabriel Jesus
Substitutes
- 2Walker10Agüero13Steffen14Laporte20Bernardo Silva21Torres26Mahrez
West brom
- 1Johnstone2Furlong6Ajayi27O’Shea3Gibbs19SawyersReserved at 90 minutes10 Phillips Replaced by Peltierat 87 minutesReserved at 90 minutes8 Liverpool Replaced by Krovinovicat 80 minutes 18 GallagherReserved at 40 minutes11 Diangana 29 Scholarship Substituted for Austin in 70 minutes
Substitutes
- 7Robinson13Grosicki15Austin17Krovinovic20Ivanovic22Peltier25Button
Referee: Peter BankesMatch StatsHome TeamMan CityAway TeamWest BromPossessionHome77% Away23% ShotsHome26Away5Thots on TargetHome7Away1CornersHome13Away2FoulsHome5Away8Live TextPost update
End of the match, Manchester City 1, West Bromwich Albion 1.
90 ‘+ 5’ Full time
Second Half Final, Manchester City 1, West Bromwich Albion 1.
90 ‘+ 4’ Reserve
Nathan Aké (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90 ‘+ 4’Post update
Foul by Nathan Aké (Manchester City).
90 ‘+ 4’Post update
Filip Krovinovic (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90 ‘+ 4’Post update
Shot stopped brushing the left square. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) header from very close range. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross.
90 ‘+ 3’Post update
Failed attempt. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner from a direct free kick.
90 ‘+ 2’ Reserve
Romaine Sawyers (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Foul by Romaine Sawyers (West Bromwich Albion).
90 ‘+ 1’Post update
Auction rejected. Attempt blocked. Rúben Dias (Manchester City) header at point blank range from the right side. Assisted by Rodrigo with a cross.
90 ‘+ 1’Post update
Shot stopped brushing the left square. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) header at point blank range from the left side. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross.
90 ‘Reserve
Lee Peltier (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
87’Post update
Failed attempt. Attempt missed. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is very close to the right post, but it went slightly off target. Assisted by Raheem Sterling following a fast break.
87 ‘Substitution
Change at West Bromwich Albion. Lee Peltier replaces Matt Phillips.
86’Post update
Shot stopped brushing the left square. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
85 ‘Post update
Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
85 ‘Post update
Foul by Romaine Sawyers (West Bromwich Albion).
82’Post update
Foul by Nathan Aké (Manchester City).
82’Post update
Charlie Austin (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Source: bbc.com
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