West Brom were held to a 1-1 draw against Wigan last night which means they are now second in the Championship - trailing Leeds United on goal difference.

Despite that, they still hold a massive 11-point lead over third placed Fulham and ultimately finishing in the top two is all that matters come May.

Boss Slaven Bilic surprisingly decided to make changes for the game against the Latics, with the Croatian resting several key players for what was the second of three games in just six days.

So, even though he will be disappointed by the result, the draw will have been a real learning experience for the manager - although perhaps not for positive reasons.

One man who came in was summer recruit Filip Krovinovic and he had big shoes to fill, with the classy Matheus Pereira dropping to the bench.

Whilst it's unfair to directly compare the two, the reality is that the Baggies missed the Brazilian significantly and the on loan Benfica man just didn't do enough on what was a big opportunity for him to impress.

Albion were flat from the first whistle and they really should have been at least a goal down by half-time. Of course, it's a team game and it would be harsh to blame Krovinovic for the display but he didn't help things.

The 24-year-old was ponderous in possession and was guilty of giving the ball away on too many occasions.

Perhaps more importantly, he lacked the dynamism that Bilic wants from a number ten and the fact he had to switch positions with Romaine Sawyers was an admission from the boss that things weren't working at all.

And, that clearly does not bode well for Krovinovic moving forward.

He arrived at The Hawthorns with a good reputation from Portuguese giants Benfica and was seen as someone who would help implement the stylish brand of football that this new Albion side would want to play on a regular basis.

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As it turns out, West Brom have been doing just that but unfortunately for the technical midfielder he has played a minimal role in their fine form.

Last night was the chance to remind Bilic that he can turn to his bench over the hectic festive period with confidence but his display will have convinced the Baggies chief just how important the likes of Pereira and Diangana are to the team.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.