Jose Izquierdo says team goal at Stoke was best yet

And that was down to the roles played by colleagues.

The Colombian winger followed his dipping, curling solo effort against West Ham with a very different but equally eye-catching effort in the Potteries.

He swapped passes with both Solly March and Dale Stephens before passing the ball into the far corner via a slight touch off Stoke keeper Jack Butland.

Asked which of his Albion strikes was the best, four-goal Izquierdo said: “This one because it was scored together.

“It was a quality goal. Solly and Dale understand me more each game.

“They understand the wall pass, passing one touch, and it was a good goal.

"It’s through training every day that they know me and I know them.

“The goal is not for me, it is for them. If they don’t give me the ball back perfectly, it’s impossible to score like this.

“The ball that I received from Solly is perfect to give with one touch.

“The ball I received from Dale is millimetre-perfect to take the ball, go inside and shoot.

“If you don’t have players with quality it is impossible.”

Izquierdo tested Butland very early on and again near the end as Albion pushed to restore their lead.

His confidence is sky high and he completed a home-and-away scoring double against Stoke.

The only disappointment was that, as against the Potters at the Amex in October, Albion had to settle for a point.

He said: “We created so many opportunities to score a second or third goal.

“In the end we suffered with the penalty but thanks to Maty we keep this point – and for Anthony as he saved the header from the corner.”

Albion were a threat from early on and Izquierdo sent Butland leaping to keep a shot away from the top corner. Stoke were always vulnerable to counter attacks and, once ahead, the Seagulls should have taken more advantage.

They had a hesitant home team and nervous home support exactly where they wanted them.

Izquierdo said: “It was important we scored first because it gave us power to keep going.

“We’re disappointed because we had opportunities to score maybe a second or third goal and then they equalised and in the end we suffered with the penalty.

“Thanks to Maty and Anthony we keep this point.”

Izquierdo, who cut inside Stoke right-back Moritz Bauer at will, could only watch the final drama.

But he had belief in his ex-Club Brugge colleague Ryan to prove a point-saver.

He said: “I knew he would save it. I know the quality Maty has.

“He is an amazing keeper and I believe in him. We had situations like that at Brugge.

“I believe in him always.”