Steve Bruce hails Grady Diangana after West Brom's 5-2 Hull rout
Steve Bruce hailed Grady Diangana's best performance since the manager's appointment in the 5-2 rout of Hull - while admitting the winger was his 'biggest challenge' at Albion.
Diangana was electric once more and a chief creative force as the Baggies boxed off a first Championship victory in some style by hammering the Tigers in a ruthless second-half display at The Hawthorns.
The winger, who was Albion's best player in meetings with Cardiff and Blackburn in the last six days, did not get on the scoresheet in the memorable victory but was a constant menace to a limp and relenting Hull backline. Diangana deserved a goal and came within inches in the second half featuring six goals, as he cracked the near post.
The former West Ham flyer has endured a difficult couple of years since making his Baggies move permanent but after what Bruce revealed was a 'big summer' the winger has hit the ground running this term.
Bruce said of the left-sided attacker: "It was the biggest challenge. When I walked through the door, it was like somebody had beaten him up. I don't know why, or what for. By the way, he's had a big summer, he's worked tirelessly in the gym.
"The one thing I'll say about him is that he loves football. He was the biggest challenge because we know his talent. You come here today and purr at some of the stuff he did. He gets you on the edge of your seat, what supporters want. Not many people can do that.
"He just does it by his natural ability. When he does it well, then we are a bigger threat when he is like he is today.
"He's played three games in six days. Arguably, he's been our best player in all of them. We have to keep him there, keep him right. We've got a player again, which when you speak to a lot of people, they'll say they haven't seen him for 18 months, from what he was. Good for him."
Albion's handsome victory got up and running shortly before the break when unfortunate left-back Callum Elder inadvertently sent the ball beyond Matt Ingram from the impressive Darnell Furlong's cross.
But the points were secured inside the first 10 minutes of the second half as John Swift and Furlong both smashed in fine strikes from outside the Hull box.
Karlan Grant made it four from the penalty spot before Oscar Estupinan netted the first of his brace. Captain Dara O'Shea - in for Jake Livermore - bundled in a late fifth before Estupinan's second.
"Crazy, isn't it?" Bruce added of his side's five-star show. "And we probably need an own goal to get us started. After the goal we scored, some of the stuff we played was good to watch.
"Swifty for example smashes one in with his left foot, his wrong foot, all of a sudden he bursts into life. Diangana, that's the best I've seen him play since I've been at the club. All in all, you don't win five very often in this league, against a decent team too.
"We were a bit anxious. We were wary that we'd created so many chances and missed them. We needed something like that to get up and running. Once we did, we were fair game after that."
