Ahmed Hegazi scored his first Championship goal of the season and got sent off as West Bromwich Albion defeated Hull City 4-2 at the Hawthorns on Sunday.
The Baggies had started the resumption of the second-tier on a bad note with a goalless draw against Birmingham City before losing at Brentford.
This gave Leeds United the chance to control top spot, but West Brom adjusted in their last outing at Sheffield Wednesday, which ended in a 3-0 win thanks to goals from Charlie Austin (penalty) and a Matheus Pereira brace.
Slaven Bilic’s men started on the front foot through former Southampton striker Austin in just the fourth minute of play, the assist coming from Pereira.
Hull equalised 20 minutes later via Kevin Stuart, but Hegazi made it 2-1 to the hosts eight minutes prior to the half-time break with a powerful header from Pereira’s corner.
The Tigers equalised again two minutes after the restart this time from Mallik Wilks, but West Brom responded almost immediately with Pereira making it a hat-trick of assists as he provided for Kamil Grosicki.
Grady Diangana put the final nail in the coffin in the 76th minute with the assist coming from former Hull and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jake Livermore.
Hegazi played for 90 minutes but got his marching orders in injury time for a second bookable offence having gotten his first yellow in the 12th minute of the game.
The Egyptian still had a strong game regardless of the red card, with five clearances, one tackle and one interception. He also won five of seven aerial duels and successfully played five long balls from nine.
It was only Hegazi’s 14th Championship appearance of the season which has been due to fitness issues that kept him out for the first three months of the campaign.
The 29-year-old has been an unused substitute 14 times and has now completed 90 minutes in every game since the restart of the league.
Nigeria international Semi Ajayi was an unused substitute having come on in the final two minutes of West Brom’s last match. The 26-year-old has been a regular starter this term with a total of 3,332 minutes in the Championship.
West Brom remain in second spot on the table, one point behind leaders Leeds United with their next game at home against promotion hopefuls Derby County on Wednesday.
