Ekitike double sinks Albion at Anfield

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Albion fail to make the most of their chances in 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Bruce Talbot

2025-12-13T17:00+00:00

Georgi Rutter hurdles Milos Kerkez's challenge. 📷James Boardman

Albion never recovered after conceding the quickest Premier League goal of the season at Anfield.

Just 46 seconds had elapsed when Hugo Ekitike fired Liverpool in front. Albion went on to play their part in an open and entertaining game and had some great chances to equalise.

Diego Gomez hit the post early in the second half with the best of them but more poor defending was punished on the hour when Ekitike scored with an unchallenged header from Mo Salah’s corner.

Albion had a higher XG than their hosts and 13 shots but only one on target. They didn’t work goalkeeper Alisson enough and Liverpool’s ruthlessness in front of goal was the difference.

Ferdi Kadioglu challenges Mo Salah. 📷James Boardman

Albion couldn’t have made a worse start. Carlos Baleba’s wayward back pass meant they were pinned in straight away and when Yankuba Minteh attempted an ambitious cross-field clearance from near the corner flag he only succeeded in finding Joe Gomez. His header forward was perfect for Ekitike who had the space between Albion’s central defenders to take a touch and volley right-footed past Bart Verbruggen from 12 yards.

The response was impressive and should have brought an equaliser. Minteh glided inside Milos Kerkez but his left-foot shot flashed a yard wide of the far post before the Gambian’s superb pass picked out Gomez eight yards out and Becker rushed out to block his shot. At the other end Ekitike failed to test Verbruggen after Gomez found him in space ten yards out.

Gomez had to be replaced by Mo Salah who got a great reception from Liverpool’s fans and nearly made an immediate impact when he nudged a pass to Alexis MacAllister but his attempt to set up Ekitike ended up in Verbruggen’s gloves.

Brajan Gruda glides past Ryan Gravenberch. 📷James Boardman

Liverpool threatened again with a counterattack after Albion lost possession on the edge of their opponents’ box but Ekitike’s shot curled wide of the right-hand post. Albion had another good opportunity three minutes before the break, though, when Minteh was found by Ferdi Kadioglu but with the unmarked Gomez screaming for a pass Minteh opted to shoot from the edge of the box and Virgil van Dijk blocked.

It should have been all square five minutes after the break. Mats Wieffer funnelled a wonderful cross in from the right but Gomez, stretching to meet it could only guide the ball onto the post. Gruda was next to threaten after Gomez’s pass picked him out and he shuffled the ball quickly onto his right foot but shot inches wide of the far post.

Albion were on top only to fall 2-0 behind on the hour when Ekitike rose unmarked and unchallenged to power home a close-range header from Salah’s corner.

Jack Hinshelwood tangles with Curtis Jones. 📷James Boardman

Kaoru Mitoma returned after a two-month absence and he squandered another great opportunity when Rutter’s pass sent him in but his angles were all wrong and the ball ended up rolling out for a throw-in.

There was a nice moment towards the end when James Milner came on to a rousing reception from the home fans, but he would have been as frustrated as anyone of an Albion persuasion as to how the afternoon turned out given the quantity and quality of chances Albion had.

Albion: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu, Minteh, Baleba (Ayari 64), Hinshelwood (Welbeck 81), Gruda (Mitoma 64), Gomez (Milner 87), Rutter (Kostoulas 81).