Interviews

Potter: Goal halted our momentum

Head coach reflects on a fifth draw in six against Newcastle.

By Bruce Talbot • 06 November 2021

By Paul Hazlewood
Graham Potter's team now have 17 points from their opening 11 Premier League matches.

Graham Potter admitted Newcastle's equaliser halted Albion’s momentum as they were held to a 1-1 draw at the Amex.

Leandro Trossard scored his third goal of the season from a first-half penalty to put his side in front but Isaac Hayden levelled midway through the second half.

Albion had to negotiate five minutes of stoppage time with ten men and Lewis Dunk in goal after Rob Sanchez was sent off for denying Callum Wilson a goalscoring opportunity.

“Up until their goal I thought we had really good control of the game,” said the head coach.

“We pushed them back and it’s not easy to play against a side that’s playing as low as they were with the counter-attacking players that they have.

By Paul Hazlewood
Leandro Trossard netted his third goal of the campaign in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle.

“I thought we did our best to keep them quiet, but the goal changed the complexion of the game a little bit and then it wasn’t quite as controlled as we would have liked, although it’s impossible to control a Premier League game for 90 minutes.

“It’s a good point for us that we will take and we move forward.”

Potter admitted Albion were their own worst enemies when Sanchez was shown a straight red by referee David Coote, after he had consulted the VAR pitch-side monitor.

“It looked like Callum Wilson was through, so we caused our own problems there. That was the story of the game in a way. At the same time, you have to credit Newcastle who came with an idea and a plan. With the players they have they’re always in the game, especially if it’s only 1-0.

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Potter's Newcastle verdict

"That’s football, we see it at every level., but we will be better for that experience.”

Albion’s fifth draw in their last six Premier League games lifted them to sixth in the table.

They are next back in action at Aston Villa on 20 November.