Swansea 0 West Brom 0 - Report and pictures
Albion registered their first goalless draw of the season after playing out a 0-0 draw at Swansea.
In a keenly contested clash at the Liberty Stadium, the two teams cancelled each other out for long spells with clear-cut chances proving few and far between all afternoon.
For the hosts, Jay Fulton twice fired over when well placed inside the area.
While for the Baggies Jake Livermore had a glorious opportunity at the end but also fired over when well placed.
And that meant a draw was a fair scoreline with neither team creating enough to warrant all three points.
The result means Albion have slipped off top spot in the Championship following Leeds’ win over Huddersfield.
But they still boast a six point lead over third-placed Fulham who could only draw at Bristol City.
Report
After making nine changes for the FA Cup clash with Newcastle, Bilic reverted to the side most fans were expecting when naming his starting line-up.
Having served a three-match ban following his red card at Bristol City, Romaine Sawyers came straight back into the team with Rekeem Harper having to make do with a place on the subs bench.
It meant Dara O'Shea was the only Baggies player to start three games in seven days - with Albion sticking to a 4-3-3 formation that saw Callum Robinson and Matheus Pereira operate either side of Hal Robson-Kanu in attack.
Swansea lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Rhian Brewster the lone striker, Conor Gallagher in the number 10 role and Andre Ayew and Aldo Kalulu out wide.
The Welsh side, though, were only able to name six substitutes after their a number of their under-23s fell ill with mumps and were told to stay away.
In what was an intriguing opening 20 minutes, both teams enjoyed spells where they looked bright on the ball.
It was the hosts who threatened first with Ayew powering in a low cross that a sliding Kyle Bartley did well to clear ahead of Brewster.
The Baggies then whipped in two wonderfully inviting balls of their own, with Robinson inches away from connecting with an O’Shea delivery.
The Sheffield loanee then turned provider with his cross just having too much power for Robson-Kanu to tap in.
Swansea continued to carry a threat with Brewster hitting a fierce volley that was blocked inside the area by his own player.
Gradually, though, Albion were becoming more and more dominant - with Sawers particularly influential.
And they came close to open the scoring once again when Freddie Woodman got down well to parry a fierce Robinson drive from 12-yards.
Overall, though, both teams had lacked a touch of composure in the final third with that final pass missing.
And that meant the rest of the half petered out, with Bilic’s side having been marginally the better team despite Swansea also looking dangerous.
The hosts, however, flew out the blocks following the re-start and almost opened the scoring inside a minute.
Matt Grimes hit a fierce effort from outside the box which Sam Johnstone parried but only as far as Jay Fulton.
But from 10-yards the midfielder then fired over when he really should have hit the target.
Albion responded with Robson-Kanu doing well to enter the box before powering a strike wide.
Cooper's side had really upped their tempo since the re-start though.
And they should have opened the scoring when some confusion in the Albion ranks led to them being gifted a free-kick just outside the box.
Grimes stood over it and sent it a low cross that was met by Jay Fulton. But he fired over when he really should have done better.
Bilic responded by making a double change with Kamil Grosicki and Darnell Furlong replacing Robinson and Bartley.
It meant O’Shea joined Semi Ajayi at the heart of the defence with Furlong taking over his role at right-back. Grosicki replaced Robinson on the left wing.
The Baggies improved for the changes with Bilic’s side appearing to be building up a bit of steam as the clock ticked towards the 70 minute mark.
Yet still clear cut chances remained non-existent for both sides until the closing stages when there was a late flurry.
For Swansea, a Jake Bidwell cross was acrobatically met by Ayew who saw his bicycle kick sail wide.
Then for Albion a brilliant run from Kyle Edwards ended with the winger finding Filip Krovinovic at the byline.
He then sent in a low cross that was turned into the path of Jake Livermore.
But from eight-yards the skipper fired - with that miss ensuring both teams had to settle for a solitary point.
Teams
Swansea (4-2-3-1): Woodman, Rodon, Fulton, Grimes, Kalulu (Dyer 67), Brewster, Ayew, Bidwell, Naughton, Gallagher, Cabango.
Subs not used: Mulder, Wilmot, Dhanda, Roberts, Cullen
Albion (4-3-3): Johnstone, O'Shea, Bartley (Furlong 59), Ajayi, Townsend, Sawyers, Livermore, Krovinovic, Pereira (Edwards 78), Robinson (Grosicki 59), Robson-Kanu.
Subs not used: Bond, Gibbs, Harper, Austin.
Referee: Robert Jones
