Sam Allardyce has lamented Everton’s win over his struggling West Brom side.
Thursday’s game at the Hawthorns was settled by a header from Richarlison while the hosts saw a potential stoppage-time equaliser chalked off by VAR.
However Allardyce took aim at his former club’s ability to fashion a victory from limited chances as well as the refusal to award his own team a penalty.
The one-time England manager pointed to a challenge by Mason Holgate on Mbaye Diagne which was not flagged for a spot kick by the match officials.
He said: “We’d just seen a great save from Pickford, and on the back of that we pick the ball up again and then we don’t get the penalty.
“If we miss that penalty that’s our fault, if we score that penalty we’re 1-0 up.
“I believe on the way we played tonight we would not have lost this game – and had a very good chance of winning it.
“It’s a massive setback for us, in terms of the result a massive disappointment for the players. We know we shouldn’t have lost this game, but we did.
“A lot of it we have to take the blame ourselves for not finishing opportunities or not making more opportunities.
“Everton are riding high apparently at the top of the league – but created little or no chances tonight. The goal was only half a chance.
“It just was Richarlison made sure it was his goal, was his header and not our lads putting their body on the line to stop it going in.
“Even then we scored a great goal and it was half a toenail offside sadly.
“If you’re on the right side of that it brings you points, if you’re on the wrong side of that you lose points.”