Lamptey: I want to keep improving

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Defender reflects on his return to Albion's Premier League side.

Bruce Talbot

2021-11-10T05:00:00Z

Tariq Lamptey made his first Premier League start in 11 months in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Saturday.

Tariq Lamptey was delighted to be back in Albion’s Premier League starting XI so he can continue to learn ‘from the great coaches and players around me.’

The 21-year-old made his first League start since last December in the 1-1 draw against Newcastle United, having returned after hamstring surgery in September against Swansea before making three appearances from the bench.

“I felt quite strong, even towards the end of the game. It was just great to be back on the pitch and doing the thing I love, it’s been a long time coming,” he said.

“I just have to keep working hard because there are things in my game I can improve. The way to do that is to keep playing games and learning from the great coaches and players around me.

“Every week you pick up different things and face a new challenge because there are a lot of world-class players and fantastic teams in the Premier League. That brings the best out in me.”

Albion fans used to watching Lamptey tear up and down the right-hand side from full-back since he joined the club in January 2020 from Chelsea saw him instead operate in a more advanced midfield role against Newcastle.

The defender was injured in December 2020 at Fulham.

“I enjoyed it, but it’s not a new position to me,” he said. "In my youth career I moved around quite a lot, played on the left and right and further up the pitch.

“In terms of the game, we know we can do better, we only played well in patches but in the circumstances at the end [when goalkeeper Rob Sanchez was sent off] it’s not a bad point. We’ll look to go again after the break against Aston Villa.”