Aston Villa player sends message to Jovan Malcolm after what he did in West Brom win v Aldershot
Aston Villa star Tim Iroegbunam has sent a message to Jovan Malcolm after his goalscoring heroics as West Brom claimed a 4-1 FA Cup victory over Aldershot Town.
The Baggies only announced his return to The Hawthorns on 2 January after he played ten times in all competitions for Cheltenham Town and was handed just his second start by Carlos Corberan at The Hawthorns on Sunday (7 January) and repaid the faith, scoring the second as the Albion secured their fourth-round spot.
Malcolm then took to his Instagram account (7 January) after the game to express his delight at getting back to the West Brom pitch at The Hawthorns.
He wrote: “Loved Being Back In A West Brom Shirt & Back On The Scoresheet.
“Romans 8:18. Thank You Jesus.”
Former West Brom academy graduate and now Aston Villa player Iroegbunam responded to his former teammate, sending a three-word message, writing “Light” and “My bro”.
Crucial
After the departure of Jeremy Sarmiento back to his parent club, the decision to bring back Malcolm certainly seemed like a direct response to the Ecuadorian international leaving The Hawthorns.
The Baggies are certainly desperately short on attacking options right now with Sarmiento gone, Grady Diangana now on African Cup of Nations duty, and Jed Wallace and John Swift suffering yet more injury niggles.
Corberan was forced to deploy Tom Fellows in attack against Swansea and the youngster took the demands of the encounter like a duck to water which certainly suggests he’s ready to stake his claim.
He did so again against Aldershot, with Daryl Dike marking his return with a goal and now Malcolm showing Corberan that he has plenty to offer amidst the ongoing injury crisis.
Malcolm has impressed for the Baggies youth sides and while he has been used on occasion by Corberan, his start against Aldershot was his opportunity to show what he’d learned a loan and he rode the occasion in his stride brilliantly with a well-taken goal.
Just when things seemed bleak in terms of Corberan’s attacking options, Dike and Malcolm have only gone and put those doubts to bed in one fell swoop. A huge and crucial boost for the Spaniard with a gruelling fixture list to come.
In other West Brom news, two senior players could be set for an exit from The Hawthorns in January, one other youth product attracting plenty of interest already.