Sam Allardyce comments on "bizarre" West Brom replacement and gives Steve Bruce verdict

Diaz trains with Liverpool ahead of Champions League clash at Inter

Ralf Rangnick explains tactical change at half time after Brighton win

I want explanations – Mikel Arteta fumes at Gabriel Martinelli red card

Manchester United v Brighton: Pictures

Manchester United v Brighton: Pictures

How Champions League draw panned out amid chaos with redraw called

Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Liverpool v Inter Milan

Chelsea v Palmeiras: Match in pics

Conte hints at first Tottenham starts for Bentancur and Kulusevki

Sporting v Manchester City: Pictures

Sam Allardyce has said he may well have stayed on as West Bromwich Albion manager this season, had the club given him financial backing.

Veteran boss Allardyce departed Albion following the completion of last season, with the club suffering an immediate relegation from the Premier League.

After the 67-year-old's exit, the Baggies then turned to Valerien Ismael who had worked wonders at Barnsley.

The Frenchman led the Tykes to a surprise Championship play-off place, albeit they fell at the semi-final hurdle, and that persuaded Albion chiefs to fork out £2million in compensation for Ismael.

However, barely seven months into a four-year contract Ismael was sacked after a barren run of form that left the team eight points adrift of the automatic promotion spots.

Reflecting on the club's choice of replacement, Allardyce has now said that he might have stayed in the job had he been promised the £2m warchest that was ultimately spent on enticing Ismael to be his replacement.

"It really surprised me – and I don’t want to criticise anyone in particular – that the club paid £2million in compensation for Barnsley’s manager," Allardyce has admitted.

"There were a host of top managers out