West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City battled to a 0-0 draw at The Hawthorns on February 7, 2026, in a match that, while short on goals, was loaded with tension, tactical shifts, and implications for both ends of the Championship table. With wintry weather swirling around the stadium and a palpable sense of urgency in the air, both sides left the pitch with a point apiece—though the ramifications for their respective seasons couldn’t be more different.
For West Brom, the draw was a lifeline. Having slipped into the bottom three after a wretched run of five defeats and a draw in their previous six matches, the Baggies desperately needed to stop the rot. Newly appointed manager Eric Ramsay, still searching for his first win since taking over from Ryan Mason in January, rang the changes. The most notable of these was the senior debut for Aston Villa loanee Jamal Jimoh-Aloba and a rare start for USA international Daryl Dike, who hadn’t featured in the league since May 2025. Ramsay’s bold moves were designed to inject fresh energy into a squad that, on paper, has the experience to avoid the drop but has struggled to deliver on the pitch.
Stoke City, meanwhile, arrived at The Hawthorns with play-off ambitions still alive, boasting the Championship’s best defensive record—just 28 goals conceded and now 12 clean sheets. Manager Mark Robins, however, faced his own challenges, with a lengthy injury list forcing him to rely on new arrivals and players returning from layoffs. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, signed on loan from Crystal Palace at the end of the winter transfer window, was handed his debut, while the likes of Million Manhoef, returning from injury, provided options off the bench.
The match itself was, by most accounts, a scrappy affair. Both teams struggled to maintain possession in the early going, with the cold and wet conditions contributing to a series of misplaced passes and nervy turnovers. As Robins put it bluntly after the final whistle, "It was a rubbish game. I did not enjoy it at all. A clean sheet, a point on the road... you've got to take it. The support was great." His assessment captured the mood of a contest where defensive solidity took precedence over attacking flair.
West Brom’s best moments in the first half came courtesy of their captain, Jed Wallace, who produced the first real effort on goal just after the half-hour mark, driving forward and sending a low shot past Tommy Simkin’s far post. The hosts nearly broke the deadlock when Jimoh-Aloba, eager to impress on his debut, surged forward and unleashed a strike that forced Simkin into a sharp save, tipping the ball over the bar. It was a rare moment of attacking intent in a half otherwise dominated by midfield skirmishes and cautious play.
Stoke, for their part, managed to test West Brom keeper Max O'Leary before the break, with efforts from Bosun Lawal and Sorba Thomas handled comfortably. The visitors’ best chance came just after the hour mark, when Rak-Sakyi spread the play to Aaron Cresswell, who then found Lawal at the back post. Unfortunately for the Potters, Lawal miscued his shot when well placed, a moment that summed up Stoke’s afternoon in front of goal.
As the match wore on, both managers turned to their benches in search of a breakthrough. Ramsay introduced attackers Mikey Johnston, Aune Heggebo, and Josh Maja around the 60-minute mark, hoping to spark some life into the Baggies’ attack. Yet it was Stoke substitute Million Manhoef who came closest to snatching a late winner, slipping past Callum Styles and forcing O'Leary into a crucial save. The tension ratcheted up in the final minutes, but neither side could find the decisive touch.
The point proved vital for West Brom, lifting them out of the relegation zone and above both Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City into 20th place. For Ramsay, the clean sheet was a source of satisfaction—his first in eleven matches at the helm. "Reflecting on the game, other than the result, it was what we wanted. We wanted to make sure that the performance felt different, and I'm in no doubt it did. The first half was very good," Ramsay told BBC WM. He added, "What was lacking at Portsmouth wasn't lacking today, and the fact we were able to get a first clean sheet in 11… we looked a team who were desperate to keep the ball out of the net. That's exactly what was required."
Stoke, on the other hand, may feel this was two points dropped in their pursuit of a play-off place. Still, Robins found positives in the defensive display and the return of key players. "For whatever reason, we turned the ball over too often, in good areas. I keep saying the same thing - we've got loads of injuries, we've got people coming back from injury. We've got players coming in from abroad, we've got players who haven't played since December, in the case of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. It takes time to knit things together. We didn't mount any sort of attack in the first half which was massively disappointing, but we couldn't do it because we couldn't build. The change at half-time helped us get closer to their goal," he said to BBC Radio Stoke.
The match also marked a rare clean sheet for West Brom, a small but significant step for a side that had conceded 12 goals in Ramsay’s first four matches. The defensive pairing of Nat Phillips and Chris Mepham, supported by new signing Max O'Leary in goal, held firm under pressure, while the midfield duo of Alex Mowatt and Jayson Molumby provided much-needed stability. On the Stoke side, the likes of Ben Wilmot and Bosun Lawal stood out for their defensive contributions, with Simkin’s saves ensuring the Potters’ impressive clean sheet tally continued to grow.
Looking ahead, both teams face crucial fixtures in the coming week. West Brom will travel to face local rivals Birmingham City on February 10, a match that could further define their fight for survival. Stoke, sitting 13th but still within striking distance of the top six, are set to visit Charlton Athletic on February 11 as they continue their push for the play-offs.
In the end, while the scoreboard may have read 0-0, the implications of this result will echo through the rest of the Championship season. For West Brom, it’s a platform to build on—a reminder that grit and defensive resolve can still earn precious points. For Stoke, it’s another clean sheet and a lesson in the fine margins that define a promotion chase. As both sides regroup and refocus, the race in England’s second tier rolls on, with everything still to play for.