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

West Bromwich Albion had to dig deep to defeat Derby County and go top of the Championship on Wednesday.

Aune Heggebo scored the only goal of the game, turning in Jimmy-Jay Morgan's left-wing cross in the first half.

It was Albion's first league win at Pride Park since 2003, and left the Baggies top of the pile in the second tier.

But it was a win that James Morrison's men had to really put a shift in for after Brayann Pereira was sent off on debut.

The Frenchman, 23, was already on a yellow card when he clattered in Charlie Taylor, who was on loan with Albion last season.

But Pereira was not the only player to cop for stick during the incident.

What did Max O'Leary do before Brayann Pereira's red card for West Brom?

Pereira was already having a nightmare on his first Baggies outing.

He went into the book for clattering into Mohammed Fuseini, who had been giving Pereira and Harry Whitwell a tough time on Albion's right.

Pereira got his feet in a complete muddle before a reckless lunge on Taylor earned a second yellow and subsequent red.

But former Ipswich Town midfielder Luke Chambers, speaking on Sky Sports+ as co-commentator also felt that goalkeeper Max O'Leary was at fault for his clearance to Pereira.

"You can't argue the challenge, it's a crazy bit of play from a West Brom perspective," he said.

"It has to go long from O'Leary in goal, he's stitched up his full-back and Pereira has to try and tidy the ball up with his control, which is sloppy,

"It runs away from him, and maybe that lack of experience of match readiness leaves him in position to make that challenge."

West Brom have a right-back issue

It was not just Pereira's red card that gave Morrison a headache to think about moving forward.

Nolan Galves was brought on in place of Harry Whitwell as Morrison looked to reshape his team following Pereira's dismissal.

But Galves would later go off in the second half after an innocuous challenge with Fuseini.

It looked like a knee injury for Galves, and Morrison will face a nervy wait to see what the outcome is for him.

Veteran Conor Townsend, a left-back, came on in his place and put in a fantastic performance, but it is certainly a problem Morrison could have done without.