West Brom manager Slaven Bilic says that Grady Diangana was substituted as a precaution during his side’s 2-0 win over Derby County on Wednesday night.
Diangana opened the scoring 11 minutes into the win when he latched on to a through ball from Kamil Grosicki before rounding goalkeeper Ben Hamer and finishing from a tight angle.
However, there was then some concern around the on-loan West Ham man when he was forced off early in the second half, although Bilic has now moved to play down any worries about the 22-year-old.
Speaking to the Express and Star after the game about Diangana’s substitution, Bilic said: “It was only tight. Hopefully, and I think so, it’s not an injury, just a precaution.
“He will be assessed, it looks okay but it would be instrumental to keep him.”
Reflecting on Diangagna’s performance prior to his withdrawal, and discussing his importance to the side, Bilic continued: “He is one of the reasons why we played so well, not only offensively, but defensively he was unbelievable. He was focused. He won a lot of balls from them high up the pitch.
“He scored a goal and every time he got on the ball he had short runs or long runs – he was Grady at his best.”
This will of course be a big relief for everyone concerned with the club.
Diangana has been so impressive for the Baggies this season, and it certainly seems as though they play better when he is in the side.
It therefore makes absolute sense for Bilic to have taken him off as a precautionary measure as he did on Wednesday night.
With the games coming as rapidly as they are at the minute, one injury could keep a player out for the rest of the campaign, and with what is obviously still at stake for West Brom over the next few weeks, you feel they can ill-afford to lose a player as influential as Diangaga for any sort of period.
