West Bromwich Albion Returns to the Premier League after a two-year absence
It’s been two years since their relegation from the English Top Flight, and now West Bromwich Albion have now been promoted back to the Premier League, joining the EFL Championship winner Leeds United following their 2-2 draw against Queens Park Rangers at the Hawthorns Stadium on Wednesday night, which was a dramatic way to end their 19/20 Championship campaign.
A point was all the Baggies needed to secure their place in the second position on the EFL table after Brentford failed to beat them to it by losing 2-1 at home to Barnsley, who are now placed in the 21 positions with just a point away from the relegation zone. Should Brentford have won the match, they will be promoted to the Premier League for the first time since 1947.
Brentford will be handed another chance in the playoffs alongside Fulham and Cardiff City, who were both relegated from the Premier League last season. Swansea, who finished sixth, will also be going into the playoffs placing higher than Nottingham Forest due to goal difference following their astounding 4-1 away win against Reading on Wednesday night; there are previews for the matches available.
West Brom went into the game with a mindset of securing a victory over the Rangers on a windy night, a goal from the opponent’s Ryan Manning in the 34th minute was almost enough to put the Baggies on the edge.
Luckily, in the 44th minute, the Albions were able to deliver a goal to the back of the net through Grady Diangana to equalize the scoreline before the half time. Four minutes after the break, West Brom took the lead with a strike from Callum Robinson.
However, in the 61st minute, nerves went cracking as Eberechi Eze delivered an astounding strike, that the goalkeeper couldn’t do anything against, to find the back of the net and equalize the match once again.
73 minutes into the match, at this time, Brentford was on level terms against Barnsley, and a goal for Brentford would have placed them higher on the EFL table than the Albions and secure a promotion to the Premier League but Barnsley, who is fighting a battle against relegation, has other plans for them.
A goal was all the Tykes needed to secure their survival in the EFL Championship for the next season. They got the goal in a last-minute drama through Clark Odour, who flicked the ball past the net in the 91st minute, thus helping West Brom secure a promotion.
West Brom captain Jake Livermore said via Reuters: “We are just relieved, it’s been a long season, with the break, and I think we have a good honest group of boys and if I’m honest we’ve cared too much, we’ve taken too much pressure on ourselves, tried too hard.”
“Credit to Brentford they have been fantastic since the break. But I think over the season we deserved to go up.”
Swansea will be hosting Brentford for their playoff semi-final first leg on Sunday, while Fulham will be traveling to Cardiff City for theirs on Monday.
The first team to be relegated from the EFL Championship is Hull City, who didn’t put up much of a fight against Cardiff City as they were defeat in a 3-0 match, while 23rd placed Wigan Athletic fought it out against Fulham in a 1-1 home draw and Charlton, placed 22nd, failed to score as Champions Leeds United gave them a 4-0 thrashing.