West Brom boss James Morrison explains his decision to drop defender Alfie Gilchrist after star display

Despite the 22-year-old's best performance in an Albion shirt, head coach Morrison felt a change was required on Saturday to deal with Hull's chief strength - targetman Oli McBurnie. Morrison instead opted for the fit-again Phillips and was pleased with the decision played out as the Baggies earned a crucial win.

Gilchrist, a summer recruit from Chelsea, has struggled in his debut campaign at The Hawthorns and failed to lock down a position at right-back, which has been the more familiar position during his senior career.

Morrison said after the 3-0 win: "The big one was with Alfie, I thought he did really well the other night (against Southampton).

"But after watching Hull four times, they have big players. McBurnie - everything goes through him, stop the first ball, and then they couldn't play off the second.

"So I just asked Nat to deal with McBurnie for me, that's it, that's all I want."

The Baggies ran out comprehensive winners for a first league success of 2026 to drag themselves out of the Championship drop zone.

Phillips, who had been out with a muscle injury since the end of February, returned to helped Albion secure a clean sheet. Fourteen-goal McBurnie was shackled bar two early efforts at goal inside the opening 20 minutes. 

Morrison's other change in the Tigers victory was at the other end of the pitch as Josh Maja replaced Daryl Dike.

American Dike had started both previous fixtures against Sheffield United and Southampton and the head coach had to weigh up whether he could start for a third game in eight days.

Morrison sought advice from Albion's medical staff and decided it was not worth the risk given Dike's injury record.

The boss also felt confident Maja, who was without a league goal since October 1, would be reliable when it comes to taking any chance that comes his way - and the frontman repaid the boss' faith with a cool finish to open the scoring midway through the first half.

"Obviously Daryl has got better game by game, but I was thinking about the bigger picture of the games coming up and I'd be kicking myself if I played him again," added Morrison.

"I spoke to the staff, the sports scientists and we decided.

"With Josh Maja - I also thought on Wednesday (against Southampton) - if there were balls going into the box, I felt he would have got on the end of one of them.

"So he was in my mind for this game with balls going into the box and he got the goal and could have had a couple more really."