Surprise package Albion up to fourth

West Bromwich Albion maintained their impressive start to the season with a 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday that lifted the Baggies into fourth place in the Premier League.

Roberto Di Matteo’s side sit proudly above the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United after Youssouf Mulumbu and Marc-Antoine Fortune scored the goals that completed a come-from-behind success at the Hawthorns.

The Cottagers had taken an early lead when Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson pushed Zoltan Gera’s shot on to the post, only for it to bounce back off him into his own net.

But Albion, promoted from the Championship last season, fought back and have now gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions.

Di Matteo’s men threatened early on when Chris Brunt drilled a low free-kick that Mark Schwarzer was equal to.

Fulham responded and took the lead when former Baggies midfielder Gera collected a pass from Moussa Dembele and unleashed a strike which Carson did well to tip against the post. Unfortunately for Carson, the ball bounced back off the woodwork, against him and into the net.

Another former Baggies player, Diomansy Kamara, could have made it 2-0 soon after but saw his effort go just the wrong side of the post, and Gera then shot over the bar.

The hosts were level in the 17th minute as Brunt’s through-ball evaded Fortune but was controlled by Mulumbu, who slotted it past Schwarzer.

Brede Hangeland then gave the ball away in a dangerous area but was swift to reclaim it from Jerome Thomas, and Jonas Olsson was on the end of another corner with a looping header that Stephen Kelly cleared off the line.

The home side were back in the ascendancy and with five minutes of the first half remaining, they took the lead.

Thomas picked out Fortune from the by-line and the Frenchman passed the ball beyond Schwarzer and into the net.

Andy Johnson came on for Fulham in place of Kamara to make his first appearance since January, but it remained one-way traffic, with Roman Bednar hoisting the ball over Schwarzer and into the net, only to be flagged offside.