SLAVEN BILIC saw debutant Karlan Grant grab a point – but then hit out at the West Brom board for letting Ahmed Hegazi leave against his wishes.
Defender Hegazi was due to start against Brighton, who took the lead through a flukey own goal by Jake Livermore.
Karlan Grant nabbed a point for the visitors late onCredit: AFP or licensors
Branislav Ivanovic inadvertently fired the ball in off the helpless Jake LivermoreCredit: PA:Press Association
Yet the Egyptian centre-back ended up being loaned to Saudi side Al-Ittihad hours before kick-off, much to Bilic’s disappointment.
The irked Baggies boss was asked to assure fans his own future was not in doubt following the incident.
But, after a long pause, Bilic replied: “Look, I’m disappointed with Hegazi’s departure because I’ve been assured that this week he is staying.
“He wanted to stay. I wanted him to stay. He played against Burnley, he was meant to play today. He’s a top professional. I counted on him big time.
“To lose him on Sunday morning, to find that out, made me really disappointed.”
Bilic claimed there were ‘economic’ reasons why the deal was done – but that the experience he is losing in Hegazi’s exit is huge for his Premier League newcomers.
The ex-West Ham boss added: “No matter how good Semi (Ajayi, Hegazi’s replacement) played, you need players, you need quality.
“It definitely wasn’t my decision. It wasn’t a football decision. I’m very disappointed.”
Brighton had taken the lead in the first halfCredit: PA:Press Association
West Brom had not managed a goal in their last two outings.
So even the most optimistic Baggies fans will not have expected much from their team going forward when tuning into Sky Box Office – and so it proved in a dull opening 45.
Brighton did not create much either though Neal Maupay should have broken the deadlock when Adam Lallana teed him up on 24 minutes – but he was denied by Sam Johnstone.
The opener came five minutes before the break via an amusing cock-up.
Presumably comedy was not the kind of the entertainment the Premier League had in mind when asking fans to shell out £14.95 for pay-per-view.
But that is what their paying customers got as Branislav Ivanovic smashed a goalline clearance into the unwitting Livermore’s face and the ball crashed in.
Based on how they have taken on the big boys this season, you would have thought grabbing the opener would have encouraged Brighton to kick on and dominate.
But Graham Potter’s side have a history of making heavy weather against the league’s weaker sides at the Amex.
Slaven Bilic was upset to have lost Ahmed HegaziCredit: AFP or licensors
Brighton boss Potter would have seen his side overtake Man United with a winCredit: EPA
And so it proved it again as they went into their shells after the break, seemingly hoping that one would be enough.
Conor Gallagher and Matheus Pereira fired warning shots, while Maty Ryan beat away a Filip Krovinovic blast.
Then with seven minutes to play, Callum Robinson sent in a low cross which flicked off Adam Webster’s heel, wrong-footing the covering Ben White.
That allowed Grant to seize onto the ball, controlling it with one touch and blasting it past Ryan with another.
A frustrated Potter added: “We have to analyse why we were not so good in the second half, why our performance dipped a bit. But we have to give credit to the opposition.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
