Former West Brom boss James Shan has claimed that the Baggies would have progressed to the play-off final earlier this month, had Chris Brunt not been sent off in the second leg.
Having lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in the first leg, Craig Dawson’s first-half goal in the second leg at the Hawthorns levelled the tie before Villa eventually progressed on penalties.
Before the tie went to extra-time, however, Albion midfielder Brunt was sent off with 10 minutes left of regular time and, speaking to The Sun, Shan – who departed following the game – said that his former club would have got through with 11 men.
“I have not gone back over the game yet,” the 40-year-old said. “But I sincerely believe that if we had ended the game with 11 men — we lost Chris Brunt after 80 minutes — we would have seen the tie out in 90 minutes.
“I will watch it back one day and have a look but not right now. I have felt a bit lost since the game because you get into a routine and habit of getting to work and having some direction.”
OPINION
It’s certainly a bold prediction from Shan, but one that may not be far off from being true. We’ll never know if West Brom would have got through with 11 men, but there’s no doubt that Brunt’s sending off late in the second half rocked Albion. Having been well-beaten by Villa in the first leg, the Baggies were much better in the second leg and were the much better side on the face of it. But it is often key moments like these that decide big play-off ties, and the red card certainly had an effect – it gave Villa impetus. They couldn’t capitalise on it by getting the winning goal and, when all is said and done, it came down to penalties anyway. But you do wonder how much more confident West Brom would have been had they kept 11 men on the pitch. You do wonder if it would be them playing Derby for a spot in next season’s Premier League.