Fletcher surprised top club didn’t consider Evans

Mark Holmes
Jonny Evans: Scored West Brom's winner against Stoke City

Jonny Evans: Scored West Brom's winner against Stoke City

Darren Fletcher has expressed his surprise that West Brom did not face competition from a top-four club to sign Jonny Evans from Manchester United.

Jonny Evans struck an injury-time winner for the Baggies against Stoke City on Saturday, his first goal for the club, after Jonathan Walters had equalised with nine minutes left – just two minutes before Geoff Cameron was sent off.

Fletcher said of his former United team-mate: “I thought we were very lucky to get Jonny in the first place.

“With all due respect I was surprised none of the so-called top-four clubs were looking at him because he is top class.”

Stephane Sessegnon scored Albion’s first goal, his first for the club since October 2014, and Fletcher has told Saido Berahino to follow his team-mate’s example in winning back his place.

Berahino was a substitute for the ninth straight game, only coming on as a late substitute, as his struggles this season continued.

Sessegnon was in exile at Albion at the end of last term, missing their summer tour of the United States, and only made his first league start of the season in October.

But after his performance against Stoke, Fletcher believes Berahino can learn from Sessegnon.

He said: “Saido is here and a part of a squad and is well-liked.

“Sess is an example to everyone. The way I always treated it when I wasn’t in the team was I took it personally and trained as hard as I could and tried to show the manager and use it as a motivation and a fuel.

“It is (a fuel) to everyone. Saido is a great kid who is not in the team right now but he’s got to keep his head down because he’s a great talent and he’s got a number of years to play.

“This might be a good learning experience for him.”