First XI

Outstanding Albion set new Premier League points record

Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma all on target in brilliant 3-0 win over Wolves.

By Bruce Talbot • 30 April 2022

By Paul Hazlewood
Alexis Mac Allister celebrates after scoring from the spot.

Albion set a new club points record in the Premier League after cruising to a 3-0 victory at Molineux.

Alexis Mac Allister became the first player since Jamie Vardy, also against Wolves, in 2020 to miss and score a penalty in the first half of a Premier League game.

But it was no more than Albion deserved at the break and they continued to dominate in the second half with Trossard making it 2-0 in the 70th minute with a well-taken seventh goal of the season.

Yves Bissouma rounded off an outstanding Albion display with his first league goal of the season four minutes from time.

Victory lifted Albion up to ninth on 44 points, three more than their previous best, and Graham Potter’s pre-match pledge to give the travelling support more ‘incredible memories’ was certainly fulfilled.

Albion made two changes to the side which drew against Southampton. Yves Bissouma and Solly March came in with Adam Webster and Neal Maupay dropping to the bench.

By Paul Hazlewood
Enock Mwepu went close with this long-range strike.

Albion created the first chance after nine minutes, counter-attacking through Alexis Mac Allister and Danny Welbeck before Enock Mwepu struck a powerful right-foot shot from 25 yards which Jose Sa had to push around the post.

Potter had lined up his team with March and Leo Trossard operating as wing-backs and Bissouma and Moises Caicedo in the deeper midfield positions.

Mwepu forced Sa into another save, albeit a more routine one, with a shot from just inside the box and the Wolves’ keeper was forced into action again to push away Welbeck’s shot.

Albion were dominant in the opening quarter but Wolves had a decent chance on 25 minutes after breaking down the left. Hwang Hee-Chan picked out Joao Moutinho whose shot was blocked for a corner. That was cleared to Ruben Neves who tried to thread his effort into the bottom corner but again Albion got it away.

By Paul Hazlewood
Danny Welbeck beats Conor Coady to a loose ball.

But Albion squandered a golden opportunity on 32 minutes when Mac Allister missed from the spot. VAR spotted Romain Saiss’s handball from March’s cross but the Argentinian’s spot-kick hit the left-hand post. A couple of minutes later Sa made another good save, this time with his right foot, after Welbeck had played Trossard in.

Albion deservedly got their noses in front five minutes before the break from a second penalty, awarded when Welbeck was tripped by Wily Boly. Sa got his hand as Mac Allister went to the keeper’s right but the shot had too much power.

Wolves brought on their talisman Raul Jiminez at the break but it was Albion who started the second half better with Sa saving Moises Caicedo’s daisy-cutter before Saiss made a crucial intervention to block Mwepu’s effort.

By Paul Hazlewood
A hair-raising moment for Marc Cucurella at Molineux

Albion continued to enjoy lots of the ball and Welbeck was next to test Sa after Wolves coughed up possession again and the striker’s firm shot was held diving to his left by the Portuguese keeper.

Mwepu took a knock and had to be replaced by Adam Webster before the second goal Albion deserved came on 70 minutes. Welbeck led a break before feeding Trossard on the right. He cut inside Moutinho’s challenge before driving a right-foot shot beyond Sa and into the far corner.

By Paul Hazlewood
Leandro Trossard under pressure from Nelson Semedo.

Wolves appealed optimistically for handball against Mac Allister in the closing stages but they didn’t have an effort on target until the 85th minute when Moutinho’s shot was blocked by Dunk and Boly could only head the loose ball straight at Rob Sanchez.

Albion broke upfield and sealed a commanding performance with a third goal, Yves Bissouma threading a low drive past Sa and inside the left-hand post from just inside the D. 

It rounded off an outstanding display by Albion, who could have won by more while looking solid and secure at the back, and although Moutinho hit the post with the last kick a clean sheet was the least Albion deserved. 

Albion: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Cucurella, March (Lamptey 86), Bissouma, Caicedo, Trossard (Gross 89), Mwepu (Webster 62), Mac Allister, Welbeck.

Subs not used: Steele, Maupay, Lallana, Alzate, Duffy, Ferguson.