West Brom 0 Spurs 1: Four talking points

Slaven Bilic's side – playing a new 3-5-2 formation – controlled the match for long spells and at the very least deserved to come away with a point.

But a defensive mix-up involving Sam Johnstone and Kyle Bartley led to Harry Kane snatching a late victory for Spurs with a last-gasp header.

Here, Joseph Masi looks at four talking points from the game.

Sticking with Bilic

It was back in July that Bilic guided Albion back into the big time – technically a year ahead of schedule.

But in the days leading up to the Spurs game, speculation was rife that the match could prove to be the Croatian's last in the Baggies hot-seat with Lee Bowyer and Sam Allardyce mooted as potential successors.

In a captivating pre-match press conference last Friday, however, Bilic passionately defended his Albion record and made some shrewd points.

For starters, the vast majority of pundits, bookmakers and supporters of other clubs predicted Albion would finish rock bottom this season.

But – with five other clubs – they are well and truly in the scrap for survival. If this was a round of golf, Bilic – at the very worst – would be shooting level par.

He did a wonderful job last year. His record at West Ham shows he can cut it in the Premier League. And his players love him.

Albion are much better off with him than without him.

Sticking with 3-5-2

The one big criticism of Albion this season is that – at times – they have been far too easy to play against.

There is no doubt they are too nice and need to be more streetwise.

But there is also a big question mark as to whether they have the personal to play open, expansive, football.

Playing three centre-backs and three central midfielders, by the very nature of the system, makes the Baggies harder to break down.

Another big plus from the formation is that it brings the best out of Darnell Furlong and Conor Townsend.

Furlong has looked fantastic in the role whenever he has been deployed there this season and comfortably won his duel with former Real Madrid man Sergio Reguilon on Sunday.

But he and Townsend both benefit from the protection that comes with that third centre-halve.

The system does raise questions over where to deploy Matheus Pereira. But he is good enough to adapt to the midfield three or play just off the striker in a front two.

It also raises questions over how to use Grady Diangana. But, in this writers opinion, the positives of the formation far out-weigh the negatives.

Sticking with Sam Johnstone

The goalkeeper has arguably been Albion's best player since they returned to the top flight.

But there is no doubt he will be disappointed with his role in Kane's winner.

Johnstone does tend to polarise opinion but he is a fantastic shot-stopper – as he showed against Spurs with a spectacular save to deny Carlos Vinicius – and all fans need to support him.

A bit like Bilic, Albion's chances of survival are much greater with him than without him.

Remembering who Albion have played

Everyone knows the Baggies are yet to taste victory in their eight Premier League games so far.

But it's important to look at who they have played.

Bilic's side have faced four of the current top five in Leicester, Tottenham, Southampton and Chelsea, while Everton have also made an impressive start to the season.

They were dreadful against Fulham and cannot put in another performance like that against a relegation rival.

But they were more than a match for both Burnley and Brighton and on another day could have won both games.

Man United next is, of course, very tricky. But the Sheffield United game after that is huge and has to kick-start a run.