West Brom injury news as Grady Diangana and Matt Phillips ruled out for season
West Brom forwards Grady Diangana and Matt Phillips have been ruled out of action for the rest of the season, according to the Express & Star.
Carlos Corberan revealed in late January that Phillips was due to undergo surgery after the veteran was forced off the 4-0 FA Cup win over Chesterfield with what looked like a quad muscle injury ruling him out for around three to four months.
Diangana was forced off the pitch with a serious foot injury during the 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Hawthorns on 25 February and he was, of course, not involved as the squad return to training.
“Beginning at home to Millwall on April 1, the Baggies face an eight-game month with midweek fixtures each week, including the Easter weekend double-header. It stands to be a real test of Corberan’s squad, with Matt Phillips and Grady Diangana already sidelined for the remainder of the season through injury”, as quoted by Express & Star [20 March]
Huge blow
The Baggies face a crucial run of games after the upcoming international break with their Championship playoff hopes fading with each passing week.
Their draw against Cardiff City on Wednesday 15 March meant they remain five points outside the top six heading into the international break, and the game against playoff rivals Millwall on 1 April will be arguably their biggest match of the season.
However, Carlos Corberan will have to undergo such significant and crucial tests without two of his stars in Phillips and Diangana who have both been ruled out of the season which is a huge blow to the Albion.
Both players could well have provided the Baggies with the attacking impetus and injection of speed they needed in the coming weeks, but this news means January signing Marc Albrighton and the likes of Jed Wallace and John Swift will need to step up in their absence, despite Corberan now possessing a fairly depleted attacking weaponry.
It should be considered a miracle if the Albion manage to secure their playoff spot from here on in.
In other West Brom news, independent shareholders are on red alert watching Guochuan Lai keenly at the club as the deadline for his loan repayment approaches.