Tony Pulis was in the stands at Upton Park to watch new club West Bromwich Albion face West Ham United in a New Year's Day Premier League clash.
The former Crystal Palace boss was confirmed as Albion's new manager earlier this afternoon, but saw his side fall behind to Diafra Sakho's 10th-minute header.
Saido Berahino equalised for the Baggies three minutes prior to the break with his first goal in 10 games, and that proved to be the end of the scoring in an entertaining affair.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below to read how the action unfolded.
Speaking of Spurs, click here to follow Sports Mole's live coverage of their visit of London rivals Chelsea. That's it from me, but keep an eye out for analysis and reaction from this game and the rest of the 3.00pm kickoffs. Thanks for joining us today. A happy New Year to you all.
Probably a fair result, and one which keeps West Brom one point above safety. They do drop to 17th, though, because of results elsewhere. West Ham stay sixth, but could be leapfrogged by Spurs.
A New Year's Day draw for the Hammers and the Baggies, who earn a point for new manager Tony Pulis watching in the stands. Saido Berahino cancelled out Daifra Sakho's opener at Upton Park.
FULL-TIME: WEST HAM 1-1 WEST BROM
CLOSE! Varela's bending effort takes a deflection off Collins and misses the far post by a yard or so. West Ham would have been angry had that gone in as there appeared to be a foul on Kouyate in the build up.
Albion break and Ideye has the chance to pick Sessegnon out on the edge of the box. He chooses to cross towards Morrison, but he is outnumbered by three West Ham defenders.
West Ham throw the big boys forward for a free kick, but instead take it quickly as Albion switch off. Downing releases Jenkinson and his cross into a good area is cleared at the second attempt.
There will be FOUR minutes of stoppage-time at Upton Park. Sufficient for late drama...
Sessegnon goes on another dribble, cutting in from the right. He is too quick for the West Ham defenders in the vicinity, but again there is a lack of end product as he pokes hopelessly wide.
West Brom are passing the ball around with confidence now, but not with great purpose. They took the game to West Ham earlier, but appear to be settling for the point now.
Wasted opportunity for Albion as Brunt's deep corner is claimed at the back post by Adrian.
SUBSTITUTION: The game is going through a quiet period. Allardyce plays his final card by bringing on Carlton Cole for Carroll, who had been very quiet in this second half.
Around 10 minutes plus stoppage time remaining. The Hammers look the more likely at present, but West Brom possess a good counter-attacking threat. Either side could nick this yet.
SUBSTITUTION: Final Albion change as Silvestre Varela comes on for the injured Dorrans. Not sure how he got injured, I was too busy watching the flightpath of a terribly wayward Chris Baird shot that came a minute or so prior.
UPDATES: Man City are at it again! They have surrendered a two-goal lead and are now drawing 2-2 with Sunderland. Southampton look likely to claim the scalp of Arsenal as they hold a 2-0 advantage at St Mary's, with Hull beating Everton by the same scoreline.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Both teams elect to take off their goalscorers. The Baggies go for the fresh legs of Brown Ideye up top, while Enner Valencia replaces Sakho, who seemed to hurt his back a few moments ago. The change appeared to be coming anyway.
Downing is found by a crossfield pass to the right and isolates himself against Lescott. He twists the ex-England defender this way and that before his square pass is intercepted by McAuley.
Great run from Jenkinson down the right. He skips away from Baird and is really frustrated when neither Sakho or Carroll make a run across the near post, allowing Lescott to hook the ball clear.
SUBSTITUTION: Mulumbu jogs off to be replaced by Claudio Yacob. This is a change relayed to Keith Downing from Pulis, who keeps sending associate David Kemp down to the bench with messages. It did not take long for him to start asserting his influence!
Carroll completely misses a speculative overhead, but the Hammers are steadily increasing the pressure. It had been an end-to-end second half - now the hosts are firmly on the front foot.
Downing pops up on the right and immediately drifts inside onto his left foot. He runs away from a couple of Baggies defenders and attempts to curl one into the far corner, but it is high and wide.
WOODWORK! Cresswell's free kick comes back off the post! It was a clumsy foul by Mulumbu which gave West Ham the set piece, and Pulis and company would have been furious had Cresswell's clever left-footed effort not come back off the woodwork!
Jarvis has started on the left and is halted by Wisdom the first time that he tries to get to the byline. Downing is still playing centrally at present but I'm sure we will see him moved to the wing soon.
SUBSTITUTION: Change of approach from Allardyce as he brings Matt Jarvis on for former Baggie Amalfitano. I expect it will be get it wide and whip it in stuff now from the Hammers.
CLOSE! A one-two between Sessegnon and Mulumbu sends the latter into the box, and he holds off the challenge of Song to thrash into the side-netting from a tight angle.
SAVE! The Baggies too look sharp and Berahino works some space to get a 20-yard shot off. It takes a deflection and Adrian is forced into making a good diving stop.
The Hammers have emerged brightly, with Jenkinson getting to the byline for a cross which is blocked. Moments later, Downing threads Sakho in, but the offside flag is quickly raised.
KICKOFF: Two unchanged teams are back out and West Ham get the action back underway...
STATS: West Brom have had 56% possession and twice as many shots on target with eight. The Hammers have worked Foster with three of their four efforts, though. Kouyate the only man booked.
I realise that I didn't do very well in keeping you updated with the other Premier League action, so here are the half-time scores: Aston Villa 0-0 Crystal Palace, Hull 2-0 Everton, Liverpool 2-0 Leicester, Man City 0-0 Sunderland, Newcastle 2-1 Burnley, QPR 1-0 Swansea, Southampton 1-0 Arsenal. Remember, Stoke held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw earlier.
Following his appointment earlier today, Pulis will feel that he has plenty to work with in this Albion squad, not least Sessegnon, who has been involved in much of West Brom's positive play.
Pulis claps his new side off from the stands after they fought back to earn half-time parity with the Hammers. Sakho's 10th-minute header had put the hosts in front, but Berahino got a deserved equaliser for the Baggies three minutes prior to the break.
© Getty Images
HALF-TIME: WEST HAM 1-1 WEST BROM
We are entering the ONE and only minute of first-half stoppage time in London...
Ignore what I was saying, because West Brom have equalised! It's a great counter-attack as Sessegnon and Berahino race away after Dorrans played the ball upfield. Berahino plays his teammate in on the left channel, and Sessegnon returns a perfectly-weighed pass for Albion's top scorer to pass into the net from 10 yards. West Brom deserve to be level.
GOAL! WEST HAM 1-1 WEST BROM (SAIDO BERAHINO)
West Ham seem to have staved off the few waves of Albion attacks and are now controlling things in the middle of the park. This may be the pattern right up until the half-time whistle.
Sessegnon is involved in everything for the Baggies. He helps spread the play to Wisdom, whose lazy cross is cleared. Morrison eventually tries his luck with a bending effort which goes over.
SHOT! A foul by Song on Dorrans gives the Baggies a free kick in Brunt territory. The Northern Irishman whips a left-footed effort over the wall, but a few yards wide and Adrian is not overly concerned.
This has been a good period for the Baggies. One of their man problems this season is that they have not been able to turn spells like this into goals, particularly since Berahino's form has dipped.
West Brom are knocking on the door here. More nice interplay on the edge of the box leads to Sessegnon playing Brunt in down the side, and the midfielder flashes a wild shot across goal.
CHANCE! The visitors threaten again as Sessegnon prods wide from a great position. West Brom commit plenty of bodies forward and do well to keep the ball alive amid a few ricochets. Eventually, Wisdom's cross is cleared straight to Sessegnon, but his finish from 12 yards was lacking any sort of conviction. He should have done better and he knows it.
SAVE! Cracking stop from Adrian! Albion produce another really good cross, with Mulumbu getting to the byline and delivering to the back post. It flicks of Berahino's head and Dorrans does well to adjust his body and volley at goal, but Adrian dives to his left to save.
A better couple of minutes for the Baggies. Berahino is ushered away from goal and lays off to Brunt. His fizzing cross flies through the six-yard box untouched, with no gamblers at the back post.
This West Ham team has so many different options. One minute Downing attempts to send Sakho in behind, and the next he is hitting target man Carroll. They have turned into a really good side.
CHANCE! Downing is released down the left wing and has a free run at McAuley. He charges into the area and creates space for a shot which is straight at Ben Foster.
That's the first goal in the 3pm Premier League kickoffs. I will keep you updated of scores elsewhere as and when I can.
West Ham take an early lead through Diafra Sakho's eighth goal of the season! Amalfitano's run in behind is found by a ball over the top. The Frenchman is held up but quickly spreads the play to the galloping Cresswell, whose perfect cross into the six-yard box is met by Sakho's diving header. Lovely movement by the hosts and West Brom simply could not handle it.
© Getty Images
GOAL! WEST HAM 1-0 WEST BROM (DIAFRA SAKHO)
CHANCE! The hosts fashion their first opportunity as Cresswell exchanges passes with Carroll on the edge of the area. His poked shot is easy pickings for Ben Foster, and the left-back is complaining that Gareth McAuley was pulled him back as he tried to shoot.
Sessegnon goes on another good run, taking on two or three Hammers defenders on his way to the edge of the box, from where his shot is blocked by the busy Collins.
BOOKING: Kouyate picks up an early yellow card for hacking down Sessegnon as the playmaker drove into the Hammers half with pace and purpose.
Decent start by the visitors. Graham Dorrans has put in a couple of testing crosses which Collins, in for the suspended Tomkins, has had to head away. A free kick was wasted, though.
KICKOFF: We are underway at Upton Park, with both sides in their traditional kits.
PREDICTION: The Baggies will be eager to impress their watching new manager, but West Ham have been particularly strong at home and should edge this. 2-1.
ONE TO WATCH: Andy Carroll is getting back towards his best, but has had a quiet couple of games against the Premier League's big boys. He may fancy his chances of bullying Albion's defence though. His battle with Joleon Lescott could go a long way to deciding the result.
West Brom's managerial change comes on the eve of the January transfer window, not by coincidence. Keeping Berahino and using his reported £15m transfer kitty well will be key to Pulis's chances of keeping them in the Premier League. Rumours of a move for Peter Crouch are already rife.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: West Ham have lost only one of their last eight meetings with Albion, although five of those have been draws. They came from behind to beat the Baggies 2-1 in December's reverse fixture.
Around 15 minutes until kickoff in the capital, where Jonathan Moss is our referee this afternoon.
Anything for my throbbing head? I really shouldn't have had that second pint...
We are here @whufc_official again v @WBAFCofficial. View from the control room with @stjohnambulance. pic.twitter.com/faxkSdIJi1
— LAS Newham (@LAS_Newham) January 1, 2015
Morgan Amalfitano is given another chance in midfield, with captain and vice-captain Kevin Nolan and Mark Noble only among the substitutes. Barcelona loanee Alex Song leads the Hammers today.
Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho are again the preferred forward pairing, with Enner Valencia on the bench. Allardyce continues with his diamond formation, with Stewart Downing behind the strikers.
West Ham make two changes also. Carl Jenkinson, ineligible to face parent club Arsenal in the 2-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium, and James Collins come in for Joey O'Brien and James Tomkins in defence.
Club-record signing Brown Ideye drops out of the attack to make room for Berahino. Chris Baird again fills in at left-back with Belgian regular Sebastian Pocognoli missing with a muscle injury.
Elsewhere it is a familiar-looking Albion lineup, with just one more change made to the side which lost 2-0 to Stoke City last time out as Youssouf Mulumbu replaces Craig Gardner in midfield.
He has been linked with a January move to either Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool, but West Brom insisted this week that reports claiming that a £23m move to Anfield had been agreed were fabricated.
Downing recalls seven-goal top scorer Saido Berahino to the Baggies starting lineup. The striker has not netted in his last nine games and spent time out of the team at the back end of Irvine's tenure.
WEST BROM: Foster; Wisdom, Baird, Lescott, McAuley; Mulumbu, Brunt, Sessegnon, Morrison, Dorrans; Berahino
Subs: Myhill, Gamboa, Yacob, Dawson, Ideye, Varela, Nabi
Subs: Myhill, Gamboa, Yacob, Dawson, Ideye, Varela, Nabi
WEST HAM: Adrian; Jenkinson, Collins, Reid, Cresswell; Song, Amalfitano, Kouyate, Downing; Sakho, Carroll
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Nolan, Jarvis, Noble, O'Brien, Cole, Valencia
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Nolan, Jarvis, Noble, O'Brien, Cole, Valencia
Let's get to the team news. Who will Albion caretaker Keith Downing entrust this afternoon?
Sam Allardyce had said that the Christmas period would be the acid test of West Ham's European hopes. They have lost their last two games, but enter 2015 only two points adrift of fourth place.
A run of seven defeats in nine games led to Irvine's axing, and the Albion board have turned to survival specialist Pulis.to guide them away from relegation trouble. The Hammers have other objectives...
Tony Pulis will be in the stands at Upton Park following his appointment as Baggies boss. The former Crystal Palace manager takes over from the sacked Alan Irvine with Albion 16th in the table.
A happy New Year to you all! Sore heads? Me too. But Sports Mole have the perfect hangover cure with full coverage of the Premier League fixtures, including West Ham vs. West Brom.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
