Dara O’Shea: West Brom delight at David Button response

Goalkeeper Button was recalled for a first Championship start since early October in Friday night’s 1-0 victory over Coventry.

Button was not overly stretched by efforts at goal from a blunt Sky Blues as Carlos Corberan’s side returned to winning ways. The keeper was, however, assured and important with his distribution and handled balls into the box well.

It has been a difficult campaign for the former Fulham and Brentford shot-stopper, who came under fan criticism prior to losing his place to Alex Palmer, who since excelled.

But a training ground injury for academy graduate Palmer opened the door to Button on Friday and captain O’Shea, who has played his part in Albion’s best run of Hawthorns clean sheets since 1977, insists Button’s team-mates are chuffed for him.

“As a defender when the keeper comes and does that it’s such a relief for all of us!” O’Shea smiled, recalling the moment Albion players mobbed Button after he claimed a corner in the last kick of the game.

“I think you can see how much we were happy for him, he hasn’t had the nicest of times, maybe, he’d feel the same.

“For him to put in a performance like that, even in the changing room afterwards, the lads are buzzing for him. It’s really nice to see the team spirit.

“It’s great, it’s what the gaffer’s brought in, it’s instilled that confidence in each other and a bit of team spirit.”

Palmer sustained an unfortunate issue with his knee and ankle during an innocuous warm-up drill on Thursday morning and scans confirmed a six-week recovery period.

“This is the nature of football, Alex was doing really well,” O’Shea, 23, said. “To pick up an injury like that in training is unfortunate, but it’s football. One person misses out and another takes his opportunity.

“It’s up to Butts now, it’s his shirt to lose, fair play to him.”

O’Shea has featured in every Championship game for the Baggies this term and, despite the team’s struggles defensively under Steve Bruce, Albion have now managed the joint-third most clean sheets – 11 in 29 games – in the Championship this season.

The captain added of Friday’s effort: “I think me and Erik (Pieters) worked really well alongside Darnell (Furlong) and Conor (Townsend) and having Butts behind us was very comfortable.

“We got another clean sheet and that’s what we need to win games. If we can keep them I feel we can win every game.”

It was December 1977 the last time Albion managed six successive home league clean sheets – and that period contained two draws, unlike the current run of six wins.

“That’s a good stat, yeah!” O’Shea smiled. “I’m happy with that and I think the boys will be too.

“It’s a lot of hard work that goes in on the training pitch. The gaffer and his staff have been relentless with that.

“They’ve pushed and pushed it and it’s been drilled into us. The proof is there when you’re keeping clean sheets like that.

“We hadn’t been that great at home before so to make this a place that’s tough to come to is something the gaffer’s brought in too.

“We really enjoy playing at home, we love to, everyone was champing at the bit to put in a performance.”