The verdict from West Brom’s Sheffield United defeat: New manager, a silly red card, England’s number one

It had all the makings of a classic before a ball was kicked and it delivered one that most will hope to forget sharpish - pardon the pun.

Steve Bruce’s first game in charge was ‘ruined as a spectacle’ according to the man himself following Jake Livermore’s sending off and in fairness he wasn’t wrong.

Albion going down to 10 made for a painful on the eye display, though, ironically, it still provided better entertainment than some of the games in the final few weeks of Valerien Ismael’s tenure.

For the good, the bad and the darn right ugly, here’s BirminghamWorld’s Ben Ramsdale’s verdict on the defeat.

Good day

Steve Bruce

In the quite literal sense, the new manager said that he had a good day - result aside.

For the majority we saw him in the dugout with a smile on his face and speaking after the game he claimed that he really enjoyed being back in the midst of the action.

He was serenaded by the traveling Albion faithful early on including a “Brucey, give us a wave” chant to which he duly obliged by sticking his thumbs up.

After the torrid time he suffered at Newcastle United, I think he’s allowed to have enjoyed being back - even if the result wasn’t the one he wanted.

Sam Johnstone

Get the contract out, put it on the table, let him write whatever numbers he wants on there because Johnstone is back!

Back after his two match exile he received under the old boss and wow did he show why he should never be dropped again.

He made a number of superb saves throughout the night and there were two in particular in the second-half that were just top, top level stops.

England’s number one. Technically he’s not, but he should be.

Bad day

Jake Livermore

Don’t make a challenge in the middle of the park that simply does not need to be made.

I’ve wrote a number of negative things about it so far so I’m not going to go into too much detail. Nothing against Livermore as a person whatsoever it was just a real schoolboy error.

Albion have confirmed that they are appealing the red card decision but I’ll be truly blown away if it gets overturned.

Semi Ajayi

Ajayi was making his first appearance since returning from the AFCON with his country.

He didn’t play many minutes at all for Nigeria during that time and obviously hasn’t played for Albion in some time due to that also.

It’s safe to say it showed. It was a real rusty performance from the centre-back who made numerous sloppy mistakes throughout. He will get better with minutes but there’s no denying it was a bad day for the 28-year-old.

Grady Diangana

That chance. That chance at 1-0 and 11 v 11! I still don’t know how he’s managed to fluff his lines so badly.

Diangana who is usually so calm and collected found himself in acres of space with just Wes Foderingham to beat. All he had to do was pick a side, just shoot even and there’s a good chance it finds the net.

He dithered, delayed and then dithered a little bit more and allowed George Baldock, who started around 10 yards behind him to get back and make a challenge. The winger won’t need telling again how big of a chance it was.

Though he probably did get told as he was the man sacrificed at half-time following Livermore’s dismissal.

Turning point

Sending off

Without meaning to state the glaringly obvious, Jake Livermore’s red card all but killed what was shaping up to be a very intriguing contest.

The Baggies were the better side for the majority of the first-half and even after the Blades had gone in front, they were looking the most threatening of the two.

Livermore’s late lunge however threw a huge spanner into Bruce’s game-plan and made an already difficult task look monstrous.

Had Albion stayed with 11 men on the field, it would have made for a very tasty second-half and we’d have been able to see first hand what the new manager has in his locker following a half-time team talk.

Instead, we were left with what we were served up. A big old slog where the only realistic chance of scoring was from a set-piece. Not ideal.

Number of the day

Five

Not in any relation to the boy band that were around in the noughties.

Five is the amount of red cards Jake Livermore has now received in his four seasons with West Brom, two of which have come this season.

Regardless of what you think of his abilities as a player, if you include his suspensions that he has received from a totaling up of yellow cards - he’s missed around 20 games in that period.

Your captain is meant to lead by example and that right there is not doing so.

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