West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has refused to blame striker Saido Berahino for his side's 1-0 defeat to Watford this afternoon.
Berahino saw two penalties saved by Heurelho Gomes at The Hawthorns as the Watford keeper put in a match-winning display to ensure that his side surpassed the 40-point mark.
However, Pulis refused to point the finger at his 22-year-old striker and believes that it just wasn't his side's day in front of goal.
"He's really disappointed. It's a cruel game at times, but it happens. Good strikers miss penalties. That's football. He's a good player. Since I've been here he's always been the penalty taker, and he's always been competent as well," he told reporters.
"He wanted to take the second one. I think if he lacked any confidence he'd have walked away from it. You can't have a go at him as the keeper has made a fantastic save for the second one. It was a well-struck penalty and it was a fantastic save. Like I said, it can be a cruel game at times.
"I thought we played well. We've had something like 40-odd crosses, 16 efforts on goal and two penalties and not got anything from the game. How that's happened I just don't know. But that's the way it goes sometimes, it just wasn't our day in front of goal. Obviously the lads are really disappointed, some of them put in really good performances."
The result saw the Baggies drop below Watford and down to 14th in the table.
Barney Corkhill
