Evans back in Baggies driving seat

SHAMED skipper Jonny Evans has been told to come out fighting and show he can lead West Brom out of trouble.

The 30-year-old has been reinstated as captain despite his part in the Spanish taxi affair that resulted in four senior players being fined about £500,000 in wages.

Evans, right, has been fined two weeks’ wages along with Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Boaz Myhill, who also broke a club curfew on a break in Barcelona.

Evans was stripped of the captaincy for last Saturday’s 2-1 home FA Cup defeat by Southampton, but has been given back the armband for the Premier League visit of Huddersfield tomorrow with West Brom lying bottom of the table and desperately needing a lift.

And manager Alan Pardew does not believe showing such faith in Evans sends out a bad message.

“He’s paid a heavy price,” said Pardew. “It is like all things in life – if you make a mistake does that mean you are going to have to pay for it for the rest of your life? I don’t think so. Trust me, the guys have apologised more than enough. “Of course I am angry about it, but we have to say, ‘OK, you made a major error, come on guys, let’s get on with it’. “Jonny needs to prove to me, the fans and the club that he’s the right man to lead us out of this.” SOUTHAMPTON’S Premier League survival hopes have suffered a major blow after Maya Yoshida was ruled out for five weeks.

The Japan defender suffered a knee injury in training ahead of the Saints’ FA Cup fifth-round win at West Brom last Saturday.

Yoshida’s lay-off will leave Southampton short at the back following Virgil van Dijk’s £75million move to Liverpool in the January window.