For all the stick and barbed comments, Vakoun Bayo has never hidden and has always come back for more.

Having scored once in the first dozen league games this season, he’s now netted six in the last four – plus his first for the Ivory Coast last week.

His all-round performance on Friday drew praise from Tom Cleverley.

“He was fantastic and he’s grown in confidence,” he said.

“His hold-up play and his calmness in the box, his intelligence of where he needs to be, how he can bring Giorgi and Baah into the game – it was an absolutely fantastic performance.

“He didn’t deserve to be on anything but the winning side today.”

However, Bayo could have made the game safe when slipped in by Moussa Sissoko but failed to take the opportunity.

“The chance he missed at 2-1 was a little bit more difficult as it was on his weak foot, so I’m not going to criticise that chance,” said Cleverley.

“We had plenty of opportunities where we were three v three or two v two in transition, and we know we’ve got better quality to finish the game off.”

Midfielder Imran Louza has played 180 minutes in the last two Championship fixtures, compared to 130 in the previous 14.

Having been out on loan at the end of last season, linked with a move away in the summer and then barely featuring until very recently, the Moroccan international appears to have taken up the challenge to play his way back into the team.

“It was another excellent performance from Imran, and he gives us something else in midfield,” said the head coach.

“He has calmness and class in possession – Moussa, Tom, Edo and Pierre have it, but Imran has it in abundance.

“He’s got the personality to get us playing and control the game.

“Out of possession he understands the game well, and I thought his performances today and against Oxford were excellent.”

Louza even played for the Under-21s as recently as October 28, such was his lack of senior action.

“He has shown real maturity after being out of the side, and he is becoming more experienced as a footballer,” Cleverley commented.

“That’s what he’s shown in recent weeks. He’s had to wait his turn but he’s been patient and he has stepped in like he’s not been away.”