Valerien Ismael has eased fears surrounding an injury to Kyle Bartley during West Brom's FA Cup defeat to Brighton, saying that it is nothing serious.
The Lowdown: Baggies beaten by Seagulls
The Baggies exited the cup at the third round stage on Saturday afternoon, losing 2-1 to the Seagulls after extra time at The Hawthorns.
It was Ismael's side who took the lead but an equaliser for the visitors took the game into an additional 30 minutes and they went on to win, with West Brom not helped by Cedric Kipre's red card.
Bartley picked up a knock towards the end of the game which immediately caused concern, with the centre-back set to be a key figure between now and the end of the season. He is certainly needed now with so many others in his position unavailable due to injury, suspension or international commitments.
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The Latest: Bartley fears eased
However, speaking after the match [via Birmingham Mail], Ismael claimed that there was no major issue regarding the West Brom defender. He outlined:
"I think it’s not too bad at the minute. For sure, he’ll have some assessment Sunday and after, but the next game is Saturday so we have lots of time between the two games to get the recovery.
"I’m not worried about him. I think it was more tiredness, and to play 120 minutes with a kick on the ankle. Our medical staff will do their job to make sure the player is back for Saturday game."
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The Verdict: Big boost
West Brom fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief, with Bartley a pivotal figure in their team's Championship promotion charge, starting 23 league games this season and achieving the second-highest WhoScored performance rating in Ismael's squad.
At 30, the centre-back possesses a huge amount of experience but is still arguably in his peak years, so losing him for an extended period could have been an almighty blow, having been hailed as 'brilliant' by journalist Chris Lepkowski.
As it is, there seems a strong chance that Bartley will be available for the trip to Queens Park Rangers next Saturday, which will come as a big boost to the Albion faithful following his scare over the weekend.
In other news, three West Brom players struggled in the loss to Brighton. Find out who they are here.