Bilic: I’ll pump up flat Baggies
WIGAN WIN WITH MORSY THE MERRIER
SLAVEN BILIC urged his West Brom table-toppers not to doubt themselves after this shock defeat saw Leeds United close to within one point.
Wigan climbed out of the bottom three with their deserved victory thanks to Egyptian Sam Morsy’s goal in the 73rd minute.
The Latics also hit the post in the first half and blew a late chance to make it 2-0.
Albion were surprisingly lacklustre as star Brazilian midfielder Matheus Pereira was well shackled.
This fifth defeat of the season hurt boss Bilic, who said: “We were not good enough, we looked tired and were without a spark.
“We were second best, we didn’t manage the ball well. The dressing room is very flat and silent.
“But we have to get back on the training ground on Sunday with smiles and a big determination to learn from these mistakes. They can’t start doubting themselves – we have been in good form. “It is easy to say we didn’t take the game seriously enough but we did. It was a great opportunity for us, you have to win these types of games.”
Wigan’s victory was their third on the spin to give their hopes of beating the drop a huge boost.
Defiant boss Paul Cook said: “I have seen West Brom quite a few times here and no one gets out alive usually.
“We can have a sense of achievement but we have achieved nothing. We have to make sure we don’t drop back into that bottom three.
“There is no magic formula, it is repetition and belief and confidence when you do things well.
“We have had so much criticism levelled at us. It is free-flowing for managers nowadays. It is sad but that is the way football is going and you have to live with it.”
Wigan nearly opened the scoring when Sam Johnstone saved a low shot from Morsy and also Kieffer Moore’s follow-up.
Albion had a great chance to take the lead five minutes later but keeper David Marshall was alert to the threat from Pereira. Wigan then hit the woodwork when Moore whipped in an excellent cross from the right and Jamal Lowe struck the post with a diving header.
Cook’s battlers finally took the lead when Morsy lashed in a halfvolley after a corner bounced around the box until it dropped for the skipper 16 yards out.
It was the midfielder’s third of the season and the Wolverhamptonborn ace , who was on the books at Molineux as a kid, celebrated with glee in front of the 978 away fans.
Albion tried in vain to reply and Hal Robson-kanu failed to beat Marshall with two headers.
Wigan would have won more comfortably if Lowe had beaten Johnstone with a lofted finish when the Baggies’ keeper came running out in stoppage time.