West Brom boss Roy Hodgson admitted his delight after watching his side claim back-to-back derby victories in a week.
Baggies boss upset with challenge on Long
West Brom boss Roy Hodgson admitted his delight after watching his side claim back-to-back derby victories in a week.
The Baggies defeated Wolves last weekend in the Black Country derby and they claimed their first away league win over 10-man Aston Villa since 1979 on Saturday.
Villa went ahead through Darren Bent's penalty but after Herd was red carded after 35 minutes for a challenge on Jonas Olsson, the game turned on its head.
Chris Brunt missed the resulting spot-kick but the visitors eventually made the extra man count with Olsson equalising before half-time and Scharner netting the winner, just before the hour mark.
Sweet
He told
Sky Sports: "It was very sweet - last week and today. Two enormously difficult games on paper but two games in which I think the team has played well and shown a lot of good qualities both defensively and offensively, obviously helped by the sending off.
"It's easier to play against 10 than 11 - we all know that, but I've got to say, even when both sides were at full strength, I thought we were playing very well, although we gifted them a goal.
"When the player was sent off and we equalised, I didn't think the result was really ever in doubt."
Asked about the reaction from Olsson after Herd's challenge, Hodgson was quick to defend his player, as he said: "What does that mean? I don't understand where your question is leading and if you want to talk about challenges, then I'd advise you to look at the challenge which has seriously injured Shane Long because if you're suggesting that it's okay to stamp on people as long as the player doesn't get seriously injured, which I would disagree with of course, then certainly I would advise you to look at that challenge which (Alan) Hutton made on Long because - for me - that was a challenge that was unbelievably dangerous and I think we're lucky that Shane hasn't got a broken leg.
"It is a scan job but Long is lucky because he could have had two broken legs.
"We are a small squad and to lose players for long periods of time is going to affect us.
"Maybe the scan will show it wasn't as bad as all that. We don't think it is a cruciate knee ligament injury, which is good.
"But there are a lot of other ligaments in knees which can keep you out for a long time. It is a relatively serious injury."
