Roberto De Zerbi is still looking for his first win as head coach but he could be very proud of Albion’s performance against the champions.
Albion have never won at City and this was their 11th defeat out of the last 13 but when Leandro Trossard scored his fifth goal of the season seven minutes after the break to make it 2-1 De Zerbi’s side sniffed an upset.
Trossard nearly equalised but moments later Kevin De Bruyne eased City’s anxieties with a great finish into the top corner.
Albion had every right to feel aggrieved about both goals Erling Haaland scored before the break to take his season’s tally to 17. They appealed for a push by Haaland on Adam Webster in the build-up to the opener and there was a wait of nearly three minutes, while play continued, before VAR Lee Mason decided Lewis Dunk had fouled Bernardo Silva on the edge of the six-yard box and Haaland made it 2-0 from the penalty spot.
De Zerbi named the same side that had been held 0-0 by Nottingham Forest in midweek. He has made just one change to his starting XI in his five games in charge.
The pre-match omens weren’t good. We had never won an away league game against City – with defeats in ten of their 12 such visits, including each of the last eight by an aggregate score of 21-2.
For the first 20 minutes Albion more than held their own. De Zerbi’s midfield formation had Alexis Mac Allister pushing higher up the pitch when Albion didn’t have the ball to shadow Rodri while Pascal Gross shadowed Bernardo Silva and Moises Caicedo was never far away from De Bruyne.
Albion had a decent chance in the 11th minute after a bad mistake by Ederson whose attempt to find Joao Cancelo was intercepted by Danny Welbeck. He went for the open goal but lifted his shot, slightly off balance, over the bar.
Then City sparked into life. Haaland appealed for a penalty after going down as he challenged Rob Sanchez for De Bruyne’s low cross, but VAR rightly ruled it out.
But they were ahead in controversial circumstances in the 22nd minute. Ederson’s long clearance down the middle was aimed at Haaland. He chested the ball wide when Sanchez came out of his area and then pushed Webster before sliding the ball into an empty net. VAR checked for a foul on Webster but the goal was allowed to stand, despite Albion protests.
Albion responded brightly. Trossard worked just enough space to get a shot away which was blocked before Welbeck met Gross’s corner at the near post but directed it well wide.
VAR then intervened again as City doubled their lead. Referee Craig Pawson had waved away Silva’s appeals after he tripped over Dunk’s outstretched leg but, as play continued and March saw an effort blocked, VAR conducted another interminable inquest lasting nearly three minutes. Eventually Pawson was directed to the pitchside monitor and the result was inevitable - a penalty which Haaland despatched for City’s Premier League 600th goal under Pep Guardiola.
That looked like being that but Albion had other ideas. Tariq Lamptey replaced Adam Lallana at the break and was soon pushing back the hosts down the Albion right.
Sanchez made a crucial save on 52 minutes when he blocked Riyad Mahrez’s shot and within a minute Albion had a goal back. Gross swept a 40-yard pass out to the left, March found Trossard and he whipped a right-foot shot inside the near post that had too much power for Ederson.
Albion had to make an enforced change when Pervis Estupinan replaced Joel Veltman and moments later Mac Allister let fly from 22 yards, his effort only just clearing the bar. Ederson then gratefully dived on Lamptey’s cross when he tried to pick out Welbeck.
City, of course, were still a threat and Aymeric Laporte headed just wide with 19 minutes to go but Trossard went desperately close to a second moments later after a surging run from just halfway ended with a shot which Ederson brilliantly blocked.
That was a turning point. Two minutes later Silva attacked space, squared it to De Bruyne on the edge of the D and he took a touch before thrashing a left-foot shot into the top left-hand corner. A world-class finish.
Albion kept going. Caicedo’s powerful drive was blocked by Manuel Akanji. City took the points but Albion had stretched them.
Albion: Sanchez; Veltman (Estupinan 65), Dunk, Webster; March, Mac Allister (Gilmour 86), Caicedo, Trossard; Gross (Sarmiento 86), Lallana (Lamptey 45); Welbeck (Undav 78). Subs not used: Steele, Colwill, Enciso, van Hecke.