We take a look at West Bromwich Albion’s Premier League results on Boxing Day.
There hasn’t been much joy in recent years for West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day. The Baggies have suffered seven defeats in ten Premier League games on the 26th of December, including a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in 2004.
Rafa Benitez’s side ran riot at the Hawthorns, as Albion were reduced to ten men when Cosmin Contra blocked Antonio Nunez’s goal-bound header with his hand. Goals from John Arne Riise, Florent Sinama Pongolle, Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia rounded off a miserable Boxing Day for the Baggies.
It was a similar story the following season when Manchester United comfortably beat the Baggies 3-0 at Old Trafford, courtesy of goals from Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Bryan Robson’s struggling side would bounce back from this post-Christmas disappointment with a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur just two days later.
Two seasons ago, Manchester City cruised past West Brom on a snowy day at the Hawthorns. Alan Irvine’s side had no answer to City’s first half onslaught, which saw them take a three goal lead through Fernando, Yaya Toure and David Silva. Brown Ideye’s late consolation goal did little to lift the mood at West Brom, and Irvine would only last one more game as Albion boss.
The Baggies have also tasted Boxing Day defeats at the hands of Bolton in 2010 and Chelsea in 2008. But West Brom’s most frustrating Premier League Boxing Day defeats came in their first and their most recent. In 2002, Gary Megson’s side came agonisingly close to upsetting Premier League champions Arsenal. Albion went ahead in the 3rd minute through Daniele Dichio, before Francis Jeffers equalised for the Gunners just after half time.
Albion put up a valiant fight and almost regained the lead when Jason Roberts’ effort struck the post. However, Arsenal showed no festive mercy, as Thierry Henry swept home the winner with just five minutes to spare at the Hawthorns.
Last season, West Brom suffered a Christmas hangover, failing to show up against relegation-strugglers Swansea. Ki Sung-Yeung capitalised on a mistake from Boaz Myhill to put the Swans ahead within nine minutes. There was plenty of frustration in the away end, with Albion barely laying a finger on the hosts until late on in the second half.
A majority of West Brom’s Boxing Day games have been against teams fighting at the top end of the league. There have been two occasions where Albion were able to hold out for a draw. In 2011, the Baggies were the first team to shut out Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City side, holding the league leaders to a goalless draw. Two seasons later, Albion managed to take a point off Tottenham at White Hart Lane, thanks to a first half header from Jonas Olsson.
West Bromwich Albion’s only Premier League win on Boxing Day came against Queens Park Rangers in 2012. Chris Brunt’s cracking long-range strike and an own-goal from Armand Traore helped the Baggies to a 2-1 victory at Loftus Road. The result saw Steve Clarke’s side move up to 5th in the table, but Albion wouldn’t win again until their memorable 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield in mid-February.
With an away trip to Arsenal to come, it will be a daunting task for West Brom to add another win to their Boxing Day tally.
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