After what has been a torrid run of form for West Bromwich Albion, they finally managed to secure a win last night as they sealed a late winner to help push them off the foot of the Championship.
Still two points adrift from safety, before this win the Baggies had worryingly won just one in 12 league games.
Who should West Brom start next time out?
Having been brought in to turn this tide, Carlos Corberan made a huge step forward as he welcomed some new faces into his line-up.
Returning to a flat back four, the Spaniard returned Okay Yokuslu to the midfield in an attempt to add some steel to a position that has seemed otherwise lacking.
It marked a huge opportunity for the Turkish stalwart to stake a claim over the likes of Jake Livermore and Jayson Molumby, but his contribution was likely far more important than even his manager could have predicted.
Having once again dominated the ball, forcing the opposition to not have a single shot on target, it seemed like they were heading for yet another game without a winning goal.
Having scored just 21 goals in 18 games, it would not have been a surprise to see them once again held to a stalemate.
However, Yokuslu stepped up to make himself the most unlikely hero in the 85th minute.
Making just his second start in their last five games, it seemed like he might have been falling out of favour at the Hawthorns.
But this display, where he earned the best SofaScore rating (7.9) of anyone on the pitch, will surely have halted that process.
Having his wonderful defensive display topped off with a goal, he certainly passed Corberan’s test.
From the 28-year-old’s 79 touches, he made two tackles, two clearances and one interception throughout a game where he also won seven of his 11 duels.
He was everywhere and had he not won them the game his performance would still have been worth meriting.
Yokuslu epitomised everything West Brom had been lacking in midfield, adding the qualities that Steve Madeley had warned fans about: “Strong in tackles, interceptions and aerial duels.”
It was a win so desperately needed and could now kickstart the new regime into action.
One thing is for sure: Yokuslu will likely play a big role in the foreseeable future following last night’s display.
