West Brom boss Sam Allardyce says his side produced one of the best performance by 10 men he has seen as they were held to a goalless draw by Burnley.
The Baggies secured their first clean sheet since November 28 despite the first-half dismissal of Semi Ajayi. And although the point did little to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation — they are 11 points adrift of safety — Allardyce was pleased with what he saw.
“We are showing how much we are improving,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “That was one of the best 10-man performances I have ever seen in my time.
“I have actually won a lot of games with 10 men, and this one well deserved a win with 10 men, but unfortunately we have to kick ourselves for missing golden opportunities.”
Matheus Pereira was the chief culprit in that respect. The Brazilian somehow missed his kick in the middle of the six-yard line with only Nick Pope to beat after being set up by Mbaye Diagne.
In the melee that followed, Pereira failed to turn home an Ainsley Maitland-Niles cross as James Tarkowski eventually cleared.
Pereira also went close in the opening period with a low shot that was heading for the bottom corner until Pope made the save. When it came to missed chances, Diagne was not blameless either, blasting against the bar from six yards after cutting inside Tarkowski.
Darnell Furlong and Maitland-Niles also threatened the Burnley goal but the failure to score just heightened the frustrations of a West Brom side who played the final hour a man down after Ajayi was sent off for deliberate handball.
Sean Dyche’s Burnley were uninspiring going forward. Indeed, the hosts were limited to just one shot on target as West Brom comfortably kept their first clean sheet in 15 matches.
But second-bottom West Brom remain in massive trouble, while the point nudges an uninspiring Burnley outfit a bit closer to safety despite remaining in 15th spot.
“I am pleased in the end because we were absolutely miles off it,” Dyche said. “I am not going to be too critical because I’m asking a lot of the players. They looked physically and mentally jaded today.
“Over a season’s work a clean sheet is a pleasing thing and it is another point on the table. We are not the real deal and we are so stretched so I accept the point.”