Swansea's manager uses three words to describe West Brom boss Carlos Corberan

Luke Williams, head coach at Swansea City, came face-to-face with the Baggies’ boss for the first time in senior football last time out when The Hawthorns hosts earned a 1-0 victory.

Former Swindon and Bristol City coach Williams, 43, was glowing in his praise for the Spaniard. The two first locked horns when Williams managed Bristol City’s under-23s and came up against a Leeds youth side led by Corberan, who worked in several roles under Marcelo Bielsa.

“You hear bits and pieces but you’ve only got to watch the team because everyone knows what they are doing,” Williams said of facing Corberan. “He knows what you are doing and they cause you terrible problems. I think his work ethic is outstanding, brilliant. He is obsessed with what he does and I respect that hugely.

“I first came up against Carlos when he was under-21s or under-23s manager at Leeds during Bielsa’s reign and that wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“I could already see his coaching personality if you like and then, against him at Huddersfield (as assistant to Southampton boss Russell Martin at Swansea), we had two very good games but I could see the work that had gone into the team.

“Now I think he has a group that he can express himself fully, if that makes sense, because he has quality in there and experience and he can then challenge those players and get them to do a lot. I’m very impressed with him. I think he is brilliant.”

Jayson Molumby netted Albion’s only goal of the game against Williams’ side right at the end of a blistering first half for the Baggies, where the south Wales visitors were unable to cope with their hosts for half an hour.

“We were blown away in the first half,” added the visiting boss. “I thought the opposition were incredible and we couldn’t cope with them at all really.

“Up until the goal we defended the box really well because the onslaught was tough but then in the second half the response is incredible from the lads.

“The opposition and the atmosphere caused anxiety and took away the energy. We have quite a number of players with very limited Championship experience and to come here against really good opposition with an elite manager in a really nice atmosphere for the home team is tough for them.”