Roberto Mancini and Manchester City travel to the Hawthorns on Boxing Day to take on a tricky West Bromwich Albion side. On Boxing day matches West Brom have lost all of the previous five in the Premier League, that along with their overall performance in the League this season so far, two wins from the past seven and you really can, again, only see one outcome. The visitors came out of the blocks like greased lightning and haven’t slowed down in the League yet! Scoring 50 goals in the first 16 top flight matches was only bested almost half a century ago and have only failed to score in one of their Premier League games so far.
In their histories these two sides have met in the League on 128 occasions with Mondays visitors with the slight edge of 53 wins to West Broms 49. You have to go back to December 21st 2008 for the last time that City were defeated by the Midlanders, that was a 2-1 score and was at the Hawthorns.
At West Broms home City have been on the receiving end of some serious spankings over the years and with Roy Hodgson now in charge don’t underestimate their mid table position. As recently as September 8th 2001 we lost 4-0 and it was by the same score line we were beaten, not once but twice, in the same calender year! April 4th 1979 and then again at the start of the next season on September 14th. Go back to 1960 and City were on the wrong end of a 6-3 score. That however showed improvement on the result only three years earlier when City were beaten 9-2 on September 21st 1957.
The last game that City played against West Brom on Boxing day was back in Division One, 2001. Now despite a goalless draw both teams ended up being promoted back to the Premiership. City have been there ever since but West Brom fell back the following season and now makes appearances every few seasons.
Most, if not all, City fans will be hoping for a win on Monday and don’t get me wrong I will be too but I did fond something interesting that tells me a defeat may not be all that bad for us either. Back on Boxing Day 1967 we played and lost away to West Brom. That season we went on to win the title, but wait as it gets better. The previous game was at home to Stoke, which we won with Lee (just like Aguero) scoring two. Also that season, wins away to United and Tottenham. Home wins against Newcastle, Wolves and Everton. A 1-1 draw away to Liverpool and a loss away to Chelsea. Going into Boxing Day City and United occupied first and second spot and although it was a reverse from the way they are today there was only one point in it (although you must remember that only two points were awarded for wins back then).
That last part is all irrelevant though as City will win on Monday, and by a few goals I would bet!
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