Another frustrating defeat at Derby means that this season’s Baggies now have the second fewest points at this stage in their Premier League promotion challenges this century. Only Tony Mowbray’s 2006/07 side had fewer points after 24 games but they were about to go on a run of eight wins in nine games starting with a 4-2 win over Preston North End, the team that should have been this campaign’s next opponents. That is the sort of run that Ismaël’s Baggies need if they are to pull themselves back into the automatic promotion picture.
The first Albion side to be promoted to the Premier League 20 years ago only had one more point at this stage, and also sat in fourth place after 24 games. Their run wouldn’t start until the New Year and they still had three winless games in 2001 to suffer, including a 2-1 defeat at Gillingham, before a 4-0 New Year’s Day win over Stockport County kick-started their push, coinciding with a run to the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup.
Another interesting fact from that season is that Burnley were seven points clear at the top of Division One after 24 games – they were seventh after losing at home to Albion at the beginning of February, the position in which they finished. There’s a long way to go yet.
| Home | Away | Season End | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn* | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn | Pts | |
| 2000/2001 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 35 | 27 | 44 | 4th | 8 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 6th | 74 |
| 2001/2002 | 24 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 27 | 20 | 42 | 4th | 7 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 20 | 2nd | 89 |
| 2003/2004 | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 35 | 21 | 45 | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 23 | 2nd | 86 |
| 2006/2007 | 24 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 41 | 26 | 37 | 7th | 8 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 11 | 4th | 76 |
| 2007/2008 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 51 | 29 | 44 | 1st | 8 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 11 | 27 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 1st | 81 |
| 2009/2010 | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 49 | 25 | 45 | 3rd | 7 | 2 | 4 | 26 | 14 | 23 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 22 | 2nd | 91 |
| 2018/2019 | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 52 | 31 | 45 | 3rd | 7 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 16 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 15 | 21 | 4th | 80 |
| 2019/2020 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 47 | 25 | 51 | 1st | 6 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 16 | 23 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 28 | 2nd | 83 |
| 2021/2022 | 24 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 30 | 18 | 41 | 4th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 13 | 16 | ||
| * Positions are recorded as Albion’s position in the table after all fixtures for that day have been completed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Results
| 2000/2001 | 23/12/2000 | Nottingham Forest (H) | W | 3-0 | Roberts (2), Olsen (o.g.) |
| 2001/2002 | 15/12/2001 | Crewe Alexandra (A) | D | 1-1 | Jordão |
| 2003/2004 | 20/12/2003 | Coventry City (A) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2006/2007 | 23/12/2006 | Plymouth Argyle (A) | D | 2-2 | Phillips (2) |
| 2007/2008 | 26/12/2007 | Bristol City (H) | W | 4-1 | Bednár, Koren, Phillips (2) |
| 2009/2010 | 08/01/2010 | Nottingham Forest (H) | L | 1-3 | Bednár |
| 2018/2019 | 26/12/2018 | Wigan Athletic (H) | W | 2-0 | Rodriguez (2) |
| 2019/2020 | 26/12/2019 | Barnsley (A) | D | 1-1 | Krovinovic |
| 2021/2022 | 27/12/2021 | Derby County (A) | L | 0-1 |
Next Matches
| 2000/2001 | 26/12/2000 | Sheffield United (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2001/2002 | 22/12/2001 | Sheffield Wednesday (H) | D | 1-1 | Fox |
| 2003/2004 | 26/12/2003 | Derby County (H) | D | 1-1 | Gaardsøe |
| 2006/2007 | 26/12/2006 | Preston North End (H) | W | 4-2 | Koumas, Kamara, Ellington (2) |
| 2007/2008 | 29/12/2007 | Scunthorpe United (H) | W | 5-0 | Phillips (2), Koren, Gera, Beattie |
| 2009/2010 | 18/01/2010 | Newcastle United (A) | D | 2-2 | Olsson, Bednár |
| 2018/2019 | 29/12/2018 | Sheffield Wednesday (H) | D | 1-1 | Jones (o.g.) |
| 2019/2020 | 29/12/2019 | Middlesbrough (H) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2021/2022 | 02/01/2022 | Cardiff City (H) |
If you cannot see the tables, click here.
