Graham Potter said he was “very proud” of his Albion players after they made it four points from two games since the Premier League re-start with a goalless draw at third-placed Leicester City.
Neal Maupay saw a 13th-minute penalty saved by Kasper Schmeichel after Aaron Connolly had been brought down so it could have been even better, but Potter was delighted with the menace his side showed going forward, especially in the first half, and the organisation and resilience they displayed after the break to take home a deserved point.
“At times we had to battle but it’s a good point,” said the head coach. “In the first half I thought we did really well, were the better team and carried a threat through Neal and Aaron.
And then, when you think of the quality they have, I thought we defended well throughout the team. Kasper [Schmeichel] is good at saving penalties – and that’s life as a forward but Neal is a great character and he was always a threat.
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“With a bit of luck we could have had another three points but I’m really proud of the performance and the attitude of the players. The endeavour and work-rate to keep a clean sheet was excellent.”
Potter gave first Premier League starts to Alexis MacAllister and Tariq Lamptey, who became the first teenager to play for two Premier League clubs since Harry Kane appeared for Norwich and Spurs during the 2012-13 campaign.
And the head coach was pleased with how both performed in a line-up that was Albion’s youngest in their Premier League history with an average age under 23.
Lamptey was named man of the match after his eye-catching performance and his display earned high praise from Potter, who said he was ‘outstanding.’
“Tariq has made his debut, carried on after getting a massive cut on the side of his face and I thought he was outstanding, he’s a top boy,” said Potter.
“He showed character and courage on the ball and he’s got a great future. He’s strong, brave and he will get better.”
Albion now have a week to rest and prepare for their next fixture against Manchester United at the Amex on 30th June but Potter is very happy with his team’s two displays since the action resumed.
“We are still fighting to get the points we need - nothing’s changed in that regard,” he added.
“We’ve got a little bit of a breather now before preparing for Manchester United so we’ll use that time to recover but you can see in the last couple of games that we’re prepared to battle to make sure we stay in this division and that’s a good sign going forward.”