James McClean 'could have broken my leg'

McClean was sent off in the 34th minute for a retaliatory foul on Smith branded 'poor' by head coach Tony Pulis.

Ten seconds after McClean thought Smith had fouled him, the Republic of Ireland international hunted down Bournemouth's goalscorer on the byline and recklessly flew into him.

Smith said: "I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was sprinting towards me, so I knocked the ball.

"As I knocked the ball, I jumped because I knew he was going to come for me. It was lucky I did because if my leg was standing I could have been hurt.

"He could have broken my leg. It was right in my shin and it was hard as well but luckily I jumped out of the way."

After referee Mike Dean gave McClean his marching orders, the Albion wide man could be seen leaving the pitch saying "it's not a red card."

The 26-year-old father-of-two has been heavily criticised over the weekend for the intent he showed lunging at Smith. However, the victim doesn't think McClean intentionally tried to hurt him.

Smith said: "It's not nice to try to hurt your fellow professionals. Obviously, he lost his head at the time and that happens.

"I don't think he did it to intentionally hurt me and it happens. I was on the floor so he didn't say anything."

Although Pulis did not condone the challenge, he did blame it on Dean's inability to spot Smith's foul on McClean 10 seconds beforehand.

Pulis said: "The disappointing thing for me is that thirty seconds before, Smith goes over the top of the ball and catches McClean on his ankle.

"Mike Dean did see the challenge, and if he gives a free-kick – and I'm not condoning it – but that doesn't happen."

But Smith thought the earlier challenge was more 50-50 than Pulis made it out to be.

The right-back said: "I don't really know what happened before. Maybe he thought I fouled him, I don't really know."