West Brom manager James Morrison and Derby County counterpart John Eustace

James Morrison and John EustaceImago

Keith Hackett reacts to 'reckless' incident in West Brom win vs Derby County

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Published on:

10 Sep 2026, 12:00 pm

West Bromwich Albion gutted out a 1-0 win at Derby County to go top of the Championship.

The Baggies ended a 23-year wait for a league victory at Pride Park, to make it 13 points from a possible 18 so far.

Aune Heggebo scored the only goal of the game for James Morrison's side, turning in Jimmy-Jay Morgan's cross from the left.

But West Brom had to do things the hard way when Brayann Pereira was sent off in a nightmare debut.

The 23-year-old right-back was already on a booking when he was shown a second yellow card for clattering former Albion loanee Charlie Taylor.

Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has now reacted to the incident, which West Brom reacted to brilliantly.

What did Keith Hackett say about Brayann Pereira's red card for West Brom?

Pereira had been struggling well before his red card in the 34th minute at Pride Park.

Mohammed Fuseini had been giving Pereira and Harry Whitwell a torrid time on West Brom's right-hand side.

Whitwell was already on a booking by the time Pereira crashed into Fuseini to earn a deserved yellow card.

Pereira then miscontrolled an ill-advised pass from goalkeeper Max O'Leary, and crunched into Taylor to receive his marching orders from referee James Bell.

Hackett, speaking exclusively to West Brom News, says Bell had no choice but to brandish the red card.

He said: "A player already on a yellow card should avoid making a reckless challenge that leaves the referee with no other choice than to issue a second yellow followed by a red.

"The referee to his credit has done the right thing."

Max O'Leary accused of stitching West Brom team-mate up in 'crazy' incident vs Derby County

James Morrison's right-back headache for West Brom

Morrison is now facing a bit of a potential headache at right-back when West Brom home QPR at The Hawthorns on Saturday.

Pereira will now be suspended for that clash, while Nolan Galves was injured after an innocuous challenge with Fuseini.

Galves has been the regular right-back this season, but was hurt not long after replacing Whitwell when Morrison shuffled his deck following Pereira's red card.

Veteran Conor Townsend, a left-back, came on for Galves and did an admirable job, but Morrison might have to consider his options.

Aune Selland Heggebo