JONNY Evans’ pre-season preparations should not be unduly hampered by the injury which forced him out of the Premier League Asia Trophy game against Crystal Palace.
Evans was enjoying his run-out in a midfield role when a sharp turn in the 23rd minute saw him immediately signal ankle trouble to the bench.
After treatment, he walked gingerly off to be replaced by Claudio Yacob but Head Coach Tony Pulis later eased the worries of all Baggies fans.
“Jonny got a twist of his ankle but could have carried on and was happy to,” said Pulis.
“He enjoys playing in that position.
“But there was no point taking any chances and we kept him out of it. As I have said all along, the key thing from pre-season is to avoid injuries.
“This has been a fantastic tournament and we have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. And we are leaving with everybody intact and ready to continue getting ready for the game that really counts – against Bournemouth.”
Pulis was annoyed with the result, a 2-0 defeat, and acknowledged that the absence of a clinical finish from a rack of good opportunities was a concern for him.
“The work-outs have been good and the best team lost on this occasion,” he said.
“We were every bit as good Leicester and in the same way I thought we were better than Palace.
“But we’ve got to add that little bit of clinical quality in the vital areas. Yet performance-wise, I am happy with what we have put in.”