Big Sam wins award after stunning West Brom win v Wolves
Sam Allardyce has received the LMA Performance of the Week award after his West Brom side defied their recent form to win the Black Country Derby v Wolves.
In a topsy-turvy game Albion managed to come out on top and secure local bragging rights with Matheus Pereira’s penalty proving to be the winner.
It was a much-improved display from West Brom and one that looked unlikely given the dismal run they had endured in the games prior, with Allardyce losing four of his first five games in charge.
However his side ground out a really gutsy performance mixed with some flashes of quality and their work has been rewarded with a prestigious honour to go alongside the three Premier League points.
The League Manager Association’s panel which includes the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and former England caretaker boss Howard Wilkinson gave their LMA Performance of the Week award to Allardyce for the impressive victory at Molineux.
The win marked Albion’s first since a nervy 1-0 over Sheffield United on November 28 and game them a glimmer of hope in their survival bid.
Signs of a revival?
Albion failed to build on their derby win against West Ham on Tuesday when they fell to a 2-1 defeat but there were certainly some more encouraging signs that indicate they have not thrown the towel in yet.
Aside from the 1-1 draw v Liverpool at Anfield on December 27 West Brom had been well and truly outclassed in their other Premier League games before playing Wolves.
They shipped 12 without reply to Aston Villa, Leeds United and Arsenal before then being dumped out of the FA Cup by League One Blackpool.
Things looked grim for Allardyce with pressure already starting to mount on the Baggies boss but the Wolves win has bided some more time and they were at least in the game for large spells against West Ham at the London Stadium.
A tough test against Manchester City awaits next but they can take heart from the battling display they produced in the reverse fixture when they claimed an unlikely draw at the Etihad Stadium in Slaven Bilic’s last game as manager.
Two crucial games with fellow relegation zone battlers Fulham and Sheffield United follow after this and it is these two games that will show whether the Wolves performance that drew so many plaudits was a flash in the pan or not.
In other West Brom news, Big Sam sends support to Chorley ahead of their FA Cup clash with Wolves.
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