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Ahmed Hegazi developing a big reputation in West Brom dressing room

Ahmed Hegazi has proven to his Albion team-mates that he can be counted on, an impressed Nacer Chadli has revealed.

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Ahmed Hegazi has started every league game so far this season. (AMA)

The Egyptian centre-back, who is on a season-long loan from Al Ahly, was the best of a bad bunch at Southampton last weekend.

Only three players have featured in every league game so far this season and Hegazi, alongside Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez, is one of them.

He made an error at home to Stoke near the start of the season but Chadli says the ‘Nesta of the Pyramids’ is developing a big reputation in the dressing room thanks to recent performances.

“Ahmed is a great player,” said Chadli. “He’s very strong in the air, has good feet, he’s intelligent, and can be very dangerous at set pieces and score goals.

“He’s a very good player for us to have. It’s important to keep everybody fit and we’re counting on him.”

Hegazi is guaranteed to start against Manchester City this weekend because Dawson has been ruled out of with a knee injury and skipper Jonny Evans is a doubt with a groin twinge.

That means the loanee could be partnered by Gareth McAuley, who is yet to start a league game this season because of a thigh problem he picked up over summer.

But the age-defying defender who turns 38 in December is ready to step up if required, and his return from injury has impressed the club’s medical team.

“Twenty years ago you expected a real deterioration in their mid 30s, but I don’t see any deterioration in Gareth McAuley,” said club doctor Mark Gillett earlier this season.

Allan Nyom is expected to replace Dawson at right-back this Saturday, but even if Evans is fit, McAuley may still be called upon if head coach Tony Pulis decides to play a back five.

His only start so far this campaign actually came against City in the Carabao Cup when Gabriel Jesus caused him problems, but that was his first taste of senior football this season and he now has more minutes under his belt.

Albion’s second-oldest squad member is 36-year-old Gareth Barry, who came off at Southampton with a minor back complaint, but he is also expected to be ready for the weekend.

And just like his Northern Irish namesake, the former Villa midfielder has wowed the medical team.

“He’s played 30 or more games in 18 out of last 19 seasons which is incredible,” said Gillett. “As much as we see ourselves as experts for getting more out of older players, in his case it’s trying to maintain what he knows. We’ve been really impressed with how fit he is.”

The club have slashed their coach travel prices for the trip to Anfield on Wednesday, December 13, to £10 per person.