Billy Wilson

Tue 2 March 2021 12:00, UK

BBC Pundit Garth Crooks has hailed West Brom defender Kyle Bartley as ‘outstanding’ after his impressive performance against Brighton this weekend. 

Bartley was a man mountain at the back and he also scored the all-important goal in a 1-0 win that was much needed at The Hawthorns which earned him a place in Crook’s BBC team of the week. 

Crooks also named Sam Johnstone in his team of the week but in typical Crooks fashion, he didn’t actually say much about the Albion keeper.

He said, “Boy, did West Brom need these three points. They could be the turning point in Brighton’s season, never mind West Brom’s.

“Bartley was outstanding last week against Burnley when he held the fort with 10 men. This week the defender pops up with the winner that gives Sam Allardyce a glimmer of hope of survival in the Premier League, and with it, his esteemed record of never having suffered relegation as a manager.

“There are 12 games left and I predict the Baggies are going to need 36 points to survive. That record looks doomed.”

Aside from Crooks’ prediction about us getting relegated, it is nice to see our defenders getting recognition when it is rightly deserved.

Granted, there haven’t been many chances to praise our leaky defence this season with only Johnstone regularly picking up plaudits.

In our last two games Bartley has been brilliant and he is proving to be more important than Semi Ajayi who may face a struggle to get back in the side when he returns from suspension.

Bartley’s contract situation is up in the air with the club yet to make a statement but we hope he can stay at The Hawthorns for many years to come.

Even if we do go down he would be an excellent player to build a Championship defence around.

In other West Brom news, Gary Lineker is calling for a rule change after what he saw happen in Albion’s win over Brighton.

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