- Albion draw 1-1 with West Brom
- Own goal gives hosts the lead
- Karlan Grant equalises late on for the Baggies
- Seagulls travel to Spurs next on Sunday night
Albion had to settle for a share of the spoils following a late equaliser from Baggies striker Karlan Grant.
The Seagulls were heading for all three points thanks to a 40th minute own goal from Jake Livermore, but the visitors equalised seven minutes from time following a much-improved second-half display.
What happened...
With Lewis Dunk starting a three-game ban, following his red card against Crystal Palace, Joel Veltman came into the side for his first Premier League start while Adam Webster took the captain’s armband.
New signing Danny Welbeck was also included in the matchday squad for the first time following his arrival the previous Sunday.
The Baggies came to the Amex looking for their first three points of the season and they garnered the game’s first chance on three minutes when Filip Krovinovic’s curling 20-yard effort was comfortably held by Mat Ryan.
Albion did have the ball in the net on 15 minutes when Neal Maupay volleyed home a deft Adam Lallana cross, but the Frenchman was clearly in an offside position and VAR was certainly not needed on this occasion.
The Seagulls then upped the ante and almost broke the deadline on 24 minutes when Leandro Trossard played a ball into the feet of Lallana, who turned superbly inside the box.
He could have taken on the shot himself but instead squared to Maupay, whose low effort was kept out by the out-stretched left foot of keeper Sam Johnstone.
With the visitors camped in their own half, Trossard let fly with a long-range effort that was comfortably saved by Johnstone, and the Belgian repeated the feat soon after – this time with a tad more venom – which was beaten away to safety.
You sensed it was only a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken and it duly arrived in the 40th minute, albeit in somewhat fortuitous circumstances.
The increasingly influential Lallana had latched onto a knock-down from Lamptey inside the box, only to see his effort blocked.
The Albion full-back then flashed the loose ball across the face of goal, and while Branislav Ivanovic cleared, it cannoned back off Jake Livermore and into the net.
West Brom responded more positively after the break with Conor Gallagher’s fierce 20-yard effort blocked by Veltman, while Matheus Pereira curled an effort wide of Ryan’s left-hand upright.
Krovinovic also saw an effort superbly palmed away by Ryan while Pereira went even closer having picked up a rebound on the edge of the box.
The next goal would prove pivotal, and the visitors got back on level terms when Callum Robinson’s cross deflected off Webster.
It fell into the path of Karlan Grant, with the recent signing from Huddersfield sweeping the ball home.
Lallana shows his class…
For an hour, Adam Lallana was the beating heart of the Albion midfield, showing deft touches, getting himself into dangerous positions and always encouraging those around him.
He had a real effect on the team as he continues to step-up his minutes on the pitch.
Middle man White…
There was speculation how the Albion would line-up in Dunk’s absence, but Veltman stepped into the centre-half breach with Ben White again moving into the defensive midfield position he occupied against Crystal Palace.
White again performed admirably in the position, while Veltman had a tidy game.
The line-up…
Ryan, Veltman, Webster, Burn, Lamptey, White, Trossard (Alzate 79), Bissouma, March (Mac Allister 70), Lallana (Gross 61), Maupay.
Subs not used: Steele, Connolly, Welbeck, Bernardo
Next up…
Albion travel to north London on Sunday evening to face Tottenham Hotspur, kick-off 7.15pm.