New boy Sebastien Pocognoli has staked his claim for more action – by declining the chance to go off.

Albion boss Chris Hughton has revealed he gave the Belgium international left-back the option of an early exit at Ipswich on Tuesday.

Pocognoli played through the full 90 minutes as Albion kept a fourth successive clean sheet.

Gaetan Bong, now free of suspension, is expected to come back into the side at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

But Pocognoli’s display at Portman Road in his first full league match since December 2014 ensures there is a decision to make.

Hughton told The Argus: “We will see how Seb is. It’s a long time since he has played a 90-minute competitive game – and a really competitive game – at first team level.

“I’d imagine he will need a recovery but I thought he was good.

“It is good to have assurance that we have got strong competition in that position.”

He added: “There were times when I thought we might have to take him off, only because of energy levels.

“You don’t want to leave yourself open to something happening in that last ten minutes and then think maybe we should have brought him off.

“But we signalled to him and he kept saying he was okay and that is a good sign.”

The Portman Road stalemate was Pocognoli’s first full game in any senior competition since featuring for West Brom in an FA Cup tie against Peterborough in January.