Manchester City had all of the possession and more chances than West Bromwich Albion in their Boxing Day encounter, but Roy Hodgson's men never really looked like they were going to fail to hold onto the result. They defended well and created chances on the counter all game long, nicking a 0-0 draw that their play absolutely deserved.
West Bromwich Albion Vs. Manchester City, 2011 Premier League: Final Score, Hodgson’s Men Hold On For 0-0 Draw
Chris Brunt showed everyone a sign of the difficulties that were to come for City when he just missed a good shot from the edge of the penalty area in the third minute. They kept the pressure on City throughout the first half and denied them clear-cut chances, as a relatively uneventful match went into halftime scoreless. The only significant event is that WBA were not getting lucky at all, but playing well enough to deserve a clean sheet.
Things got a little more entertaining for the neutrals in the second half, as both teams hit the woodwork with wonderful shots. Mario Balotelli hit the bar with City's best shot of the match in the 54th minute, hitting an audacious shot from 30 yards that just missed by inches. In the 73rd minute, Jerome Thomas almost gave West Brom the lead with a thunderous drive from outside the box that beat Joe Hart, but bounced clear off the post.
The final 10 minutes belonged to City as they put the Baggies under relentless pressure, but they defended expertly and never gave City a clear look at goal. With this result and Man United’s 5-0 win over Wigan, the two Manchester clubs are now level on points at the top of the Premier League.
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