WEST BROM captain Darren Fletcher has urged Saido Berahino to follow Stephane Sessegnon's example to get back in Tony Pulis's good books.
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| West Brom rebel Saido Berahino on the bench for the ninth straight game in the 2-1 over Stoke |
Sessegnon took centre stage in Albion's victory over Stoke to further rescue a Baggies career that looked dead and buried. And Fletcher has urged Hawthorns rebel Saido Berahino to take inspiration from Sessegnon's transformed fortunes.
Sessegnon seemed certain to leave in May when he took a £400 taxi ride back to Birmingham after being left out of a game at Newcastle.
But he scored his first goal in 15 months on Saturday before Jonny Evans snatched a dramatic late winner against 10-man Stoke to give Pulis a happy anniversary a year on from his Hawthorns appointment.
Jon Walters had cancelled out Sessegnon's strike before USA international Geoff Cameron was sent off.
Berahino played just five minutes as a sub after being left on the bench for a ninth straight game.
"The manager has proved that if you're not featuring but you do get a chance and play well, you will stay in the team," said Fletcher.
"That is evident with Sess. Players who are not in the team should look to that and realise if you perform when you're given your chance the manager will stick with you.
"Sess is an example to everyone. Saido is a great kid who is not in the team right now but he's got to keep his head down because he's a great talent and he's got a number of years to play."
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| Darren Fletcher has urged Berahino to get back into Tony Pulis' good books |
West Brom shaded a low-key first half but Stoke had the best chance when Albion keeper Boaz Myhill saved a Glen Johnson drive.
The Baggies went ahead on the hour-mark when Fletcher drove forwards and found James Morrison, who teed up Sessegnon for an emphatic finish.
Walters looked to have denied former Stoke boss Tony Pulis victory on 81 minutes when he headed home a brilliant cross by fellow substitute Joselu.
But Stoke were reduced to 10 men two minutes later when Cameron appeared to slap Claudio Yacob on the back of the head and received a straight red card.
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| A rejuvinated Stephane Sessgenon celebrates scoring the Baggies opening goal |
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| Jonny Evans scoring the Baggies' late winner at the Hawthorns against Stoke |
The hosts made the Potters pay in stoppage-time when Evans poked the ball home after Craig Dawson flicked on a Callum McManaman cross for a deserved winner.
"We were very lucky to get Jonny in the first place because he's a top, top player," said Fletcher, who played alongside Evans for Manchester United. "I was surprised none of the so-called top-four clubs were looking at him because he is top class."
Stoke will appeal against Cameron's dismissal after Mark Hughes accused Yacob of making a meal of the incident. But the Potters manager admitted his side had let their standards slip.
"If we are going to progress as a team we need to find a way to do it against the top teams and those in and around us," said Hughes.
"It's a challenge for us. We're not the finished article. We do good things and at other times we let ourselves down."
WEST BROM (4-2-3-1): Myhill 6; Dawson 6, McAuley 7, Evans 7, Brunt 6; Fletcher 7, Yacob 6 (Berahino 85); Sessegnon 8, Morrison 6, Gardner 7 (McManaman 90); Lambert 6. Booked: Brunt. Goals: Sessegnon 60, Evans 90. NEXT UP: Bristol City (h) FAC, Sat.
STOKE (4-2-3-1): Butland 6; Johnson 6, Shawcross 6, Wollscheid 7, Pieters 6; Cameron 6, Whelan 6 (Walters 68, 6); Shaqiri 5 (Adam 85), Afellay 6, Arnautovic 5; Bojan 5 (Joselu 64, 6). Booked: Arnautovic. Sent Off: Cameron 83. Goal: Walters 81. NEXT UP: Liverpool (h), COC, tomorrow.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
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