West Bromwich Albion have been handed a fresh injury boost as their return to domestic football nears…
What’s the latest?
According to the Express & Star journalist Lewis Cox, the Baggies “hope” to have Grady Diangana back in training following just a nine-minute cameo in their 2-0 win over Stoke City.
Having missed their training camp in Spain, his return will be a welcome sight for fans who will be excited to have the wide man back for their Monday night clash at high-flying Sunderland.
This comes alongside the expected return of Daryl Dike and Semi Ajayi, who have both been long-term absentees. Carlos Corberan will be hoping to finally have a near-full squad available for selection.
Sunderland will be worried
Although this season has seen his career stall somewhat, the 24-year-old dynamo does boast an incredible ability that, when he’s on form, can see him terrorise any defence in the Championship.
His maverick play style, therefore, makes him a unique asset for the Spaniard to have, and will likely worry Tony Mowbray who will struggle to account for his unpredictability.
Would you start Diangana vs Sunderland?
Despite this, he does boast five goal contributions across 19 games in the league, but the main issue that stands is that four of those came in the first six games of the season. He has scored just once in their last 13 games.
The £20k-per-week dynamo will be hoping that upon returning from injury and handed a run of games under the new boss, he can recapture the form of his loan spell in 2019/20, where he scored eight and assisted seven in just 30 games.
This campaign saw a culmination of his “magic” qualities, as Graeme Brown once suggested he possessed, alongside a clinical nature that he has struggled to find since.
Should he recapture it soon, however, it will prove a frightening prospect for the rest of the league.
The Black Cats could be the first to suffer from his revival, as two teams in red-hot form will face off at the Stadium of Light.
It promises to be an interesting tactical and physical battle, but one which could be won by the exploits of the mercurial Diangana.
