James Morrison leaps to Aune Heggebo defence after West Brom win against Burnley
irishnews.com · Press Association Sport Staff · 2026-08-23T15:05:22+00:00 · nguồn gốc
West Bromwich Albion head coach James Morrison insisted Aune Heggebo is no cheat after a 3-1 comeback win against promotion favourites Burnley in the Sky Bet Championship at The Hawthorns.
Norway striker Heggebo missed the game – the first of a two-match ban – after his retrospective Football Association punishment for ‘deception of a match official’ against Norwich when his goal went in off his hand. Albion have appealed against the ban.
“We were really frustrated and shocked. Bo was disappointed so we had to back him and we wanted to appeal,” said Morrison.
“He was deemed to have cheated the referee which he didn’t. Yes the ball hit his hand but with the pace of the cross and the keeper touching it, it’s very hard to get out of the way.
“It’s (the appeal) a testament to his personality and who he is. I think we all know he’s not that person.”
Morrison insisted his side must “stay humble” as they continued their 100 per cent start to the season against Burnley with a third straight win in all competitions and a second in the league to leave them second behind Millwall on goal difference.
“I felt it was a top performance. I enjoyed it at times for the intensity with the lads willing to run for each other.
“We did the basics really well – we won tackles, and when we lost the ball, we ran back and when the opportunities were given to us, we took advantage.
“I felt like Burnley couldn’t handle our intensity really, and I could smell that at half-time, so the message was to up the intensity.”
Morrison added: “We enjoy competing against the so-called bigger teams and we competed really well today. We don’t want to get carried away. We have to keep our feet on the ground , keep working hard and satay humble.”
Burnley head coach Nicky Hayen said: “I think we didn’t have the energy, desire and hunger of the home team.
“You also have to give credit to West Brom. You can always say we played a bad game but they had the structure, a lot of good energy, hunger and desire.
“We had problems and no solutions. I didn’t expect this – it was an eye-opener for everyone, myself included.
“We didn’t play as a team – more like individuals. We have to go back to basics like last week (2-2 draw against West Ham United). We played at slow motion.”
Hayen said star striker Zian Flemming missed the game with a calf injury amid speculation of a move and could be available next week.
Burnley led after Callum Styles put into his own net in the eighth minute from Jacob Bruun Larsen’s cross.
But Harry Whitwell equalised on 18 when he slotted home low to Max Weiss’s left from 12 yards for the 20-year-old’s first Albion League goal.
Isaac Price put Albion ahead for the first time, in the 46th minute. The Northern Ireland international curled the ball beyond Weiss, who had strayed five yards off his line, into the far corner of the net.
Albion struck next to effectively seal it, after Bashir Humphreys upended Whitwell for a clear penalty in the 65th minute. Price made no mistake from the spot, firing low to Weiss’s right, sending the keeper the wrong way.