Ben Foster: Boaz Myhill didn't deserve Albion chop

Albion keeper Ben Foster says Boaz Myhill 'didn't do anything wrong' to warrant being dropped and was surprised to replace him between the sticks.

The England international kept a clean sheet against Villa on Saturday in his first Premier League start in 10 months, having recovered from a cruciate knee injury.

The two goalkeepers have worked together at Albion for the past three-and-a-half seasons and they're good friends, which made the decision 'weird' for Foster.

"I was a little surprised to get the nod because I thought Bo had done really well," said Foster.

"He's one of my best mates anyway so I feel sorry for him because I knew he enjoyed playing.

"He really did like that part of it so it's weird. But Bo is a fantastic guy and straight away he was one of the first ones to congratulate me after the game.

"He didn't do anything wrong, I thought he was really good, so he will be disappointed."

Foster is a West Midlands lad from Warwickshire with plenty of friends who are Villa fans, so he knows first-hand the importance of the derby.

He was surprised by the boos that rang around The Hawthorns at the final whistle, but understood the fans' frustration.

"I think where Villa are in the league and how many points they've got was a factor," he said.

"Even a lot of my friends were saying it was an easy three points but that's not the case.

"You could see the way Villa played. They battled and scrapped for everything and it was a difficult game but I think we'll be happier with the point."

Villa could have had a penalty in the first half when Jonas Olsson slid into Jordan Ayew – and referee Robert Madley later asked Foster for his opinion on the incident. "The referee asked me after the game 'what do you think?'," said Foster. "I don't think it was a penalty. It was two players coming together."