Steve Bruce swears at Jake Livermore after West Brom captain makes winning return
Steve Bruce had some choice words for Jake Livermore after the West Brom captain returned to the side for the Hull City win after suspension.
The midfielder had missed the previous four matches after he was sent off against Sheffield United in the new boss’ first game in charge, but returned against the Tigers with a strong display for Bruce’s first Baggies win.
The former England international started in the centre of midfield alongside Taylor Gardner-Hickman, after the youngster was finally given a chance at the position, and the pair made a big contribution next to Alex Mowatt towards a much-improved performance from the team.
Speaking after the game the manager said, via Birmingham Live: “I have to say the addition of Jake in midfield, alongside the young kid, just did the trick for us. It’s what we’ve missed.
“His reading of the game, the way he broke things up, he owed us that after getting sent off like a *****, but there you go.
“I can say that about Jake because he’ll take it the right way.”
Belated bounce
It’s nice to see the relationship between manager and captain is strong enough already for this sort of response.
Had the team put in another performance like the ones they have been of late, and the skipper contributed like he has too often this season, the language may have been similar but the sentiment much different.
It was certainly an inauspicious start to life under his new boss for the team captain to be sent off before half-time against the Blades.
Bruce said this week, via Express and Star: “Jake has been full of remorse, upset, disappointed.”
But if he can produce a few more performances like the one he did at Hull then he will have gone a long way towards making amends.
It has been a miserable start to life at the Hawthorns for the ex-Newcastle boss, and a miserable period in general for Baggies fans.
Hopes will be high all round that this can be the start of a revival, and a much-delayed new manager bounce, but nobody will be getting ahead of themselves yet.
In other West Brom news, the manager pinpointed the “vital ingredient” that his young talent provides.