West Brom's James Morrison takes blame for Toby Collyer injury blow
The midfielder was withdrawn just before half-time with an issue.
Albion boss James Morrison shouldered the blame for a worrying injury blow to Toby Collyer during the spirited fightback win over Blackburn.
The head coach admitted the midfielder’s muscle issue soured an otherwise vibrant afternoon at The Hawthorns, where the hosts powered back from 2-0 down to win through Felix Horn Myhre in the dying moments.
Morrison revealed he should have listened to medical advice about Collyer starting for a third game in eight days after featuring from the off against Birmingham City and Wrexham over the last week.
But the head coach felt it was important the summer signing from Manchester United started against Tony Mowbray’s Rovers - though it was a horror start for the Baggies who fell two down inside 12 minutes. It was 2-1 when Collyer departed three minutes before the break, and Morrison has confirmed a hamstring issue.
"That's probably put a bit of a downer on the result,” Morrison said.
"He's just picked up a little hamstring injury. But that's on me, really, I should've listened.
"Obviously playing three games a week was a big ask. In my head I was trying to get him, an hour, or 45 minutes, because of how they dealt with the (number) six, but when you see Oussie (Diakite) play like that - I should've played him.
"But when you're out the team and you come back in with the bit between your teeth and he certainly had that today.”
Collyer endured injury woe on loan at The Hawthorns last season, with calf and hamstring issues, the latter which effectively ended his season-long stint deal midway through in January. He went to promotion-winners Hull on a temporary move but was sidelined after a contact injury in training.
The £4million recruit has impressed against Blues and Wrexham since the restart and had a reasonable start against Blackburn.
But he was replaced by Ousmane Diakite, who went on to become one of his side’s star performers in a little over a half of action.
Morrison added of Diakite: "I know what you're saying (response to being dropped) and it could look like that, but I'm picking the team I feel is best against the opposition.
"Toby played really well and I felt in previous weeks Oussie's not been at his best. That's competition in those places, around it, we've got people knocking on the door."
Now severity was given on the Collyer blow but the midfielder is now a huge doubt for the trip to Preston next weekend, with an away clash at West Ham the following Saturday (October 31).