It's Gruda the great as Albion's fightback stuns City

James Milner and Brajan Gruda come off the bench to score second-half goals as Albion beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Amex.

Bruce Talbot

2025-08-31T16:00+01:00

Brajan Gruda races away after scoring Albion's late winner against City. 📷 by James Boardman.

For the second year running Albion came from behind to floor City with a brilliant second-half fightback at the Amex.

James Milner’s first Albion goal – and his first in the Premier League since December 2019 - drew them level midway through the second half. From then on Fabian Hurzeler’s revitalised side looked the only winners and in the 90th minute another substitute, Brajan Gruda, won it with a wonderfully composed finish to seal Albion’s first league win of the season.

It was some comeback. The goal scorers were part of a quadruple change on the hour by Hurzeler that sparked Albion into life after Haaland’s 34th-minute opener.

James Milner remembers his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota as he celebrates Albion's equaliser. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

City keeper James Trafford kept his side in it with some fine saves in the closing stages but had no chance when Gruda netted his first Amex goal in the Premier League.

The Albion bench were furious that a late challenge by Tijani Reijnders on Diego Gomez’s right ankle went unpunished during a feisty first half when Jan Paul van Hecke was booked for a far less dangerous tackle on his compatriot.

Haaland shot weakly at Bart Verbruggen when he was played through before Albion went close on 19 minutes. Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck were involved to put Kaoru Mitoma away and onside. With two defenders bearing down on him he elected to shoot from outside the box and Trafford saved, albeit unconvincingly.

James Milner equalises and becomes the second-oldest goalscorer in Premier League history. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Haaland had two opportunities in the space of a minute when he dragged a right-foot shot wide before a far-post header was pushed out by Verbruggen but the Norway striker was not to be denied. Omar Marmoush went past van Hecke, flicked the ball through Lewis Dunk’s legs and Haaland dinked it over Verbruggen for his 88th Premier League goal on his 100th appearance.

Albion were struggling to mount any concerted pressure and Hurzeler turned to his bench on the hour. It had the desired effect and moments later they carved out their best chance so far. Mitoma led a quick counter and played the ball into Minteh’s path as he scorched down the middle. Trafford had to turn his shot over at full stretch.

Joel Veltman at full stretch against Manchester City. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

The mood had changed, though, and Albion levelled on 65 minutes. Lewis Dunk’s cross hit Matheus Nunes on the arm and Albion had a penalty for the third successive Premier League game. There was a third different taker too but Milner made no mistake against his former club as he emphatically found the bottom corner. He became the oldest player in the competition’s history to convert a penalty and the second-oldest behind Teddy Sheringham to score, copying the crossed-arms celebration of his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota.

Minteh was inches away from profiting after good work by Gruda on the left. He cut onto his right foot and beat Trafford but was marginally off target. Trafford saved from Rutter, Gruda and, miraculously and at full stretch, from van Hecke – a stop which looked like preserving City’s point. But Albion weren’t to be denied. Gruda raced through a big gap in the middle of City’s defence after Mitoma’s pass picked out his run and he left a defender on his backside before bisecting two more on the line to find the middle of the goal.

Yankuba Minteh gives Rayan Ait-Nouri the slip. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

The line-up

Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Minteh (Coppola 90+6), Hinshelwood (Ayari 60), Baleba (Milner 60), Welbeck (Rutter 60), Mitoma, Gomez (Gruda 60), De Cuyper, Veltman.