Ryan Mason must unleash ‘scarily good’ West Brom star vs Preston
West Brom need to start putting a run of results together and climbing the Championship table.
West Brom currently occupy seventh place, which is the final playoff place, but they should be aiming for automatic promotion.
Several West Brom stars are on international duty at the moment, including Isaac Price, but when they return to The Hawthorns, attention will switch to Preston North End.
Ryan Mason has a couple of selection decisions, with one of them being who will lead the line in the contest.
Josh Maja must start for West Brom vs Preston
Maja was on the bench for West Brom’s defeat to Millwall last time out, but he must be given a starting berth when the Baggies face the Lilywhites.
The Nigerian star was sensational when the sides last met, bagging two goals in a 3-1 victory for Albion on New Year’s Day and he must be unleashed again by Mason.
Former Sunderland manager Jack Ross described Maja as “scarily good” in 2018 when he was in charge of the forward at the Stadium of Light, and he was definitely that in that contest.
Ryan Mason cannot afford not to start Maja
The ex-Black Cats striker was the Baggies’ most clinical marksman last season, despite missing the final 20 matches of the campaign.
The year-old notched 12 goals in the Championship, with Alex Mowatt and Karlan Grant being next on the list with seven.
- Maja was injured on 4 January, and he did not play again after that last season
- He was still Albion’s top scorer in the league, with five more goals than the next two players
- He has not earned Mason’s trust yet
He has only scored one in seven appearances in the division this season, but he has only started once and been brought on six times.
Mason needs to trust Maja from the first whistle; otherwise, the promising start that he had to life in the Albion dugout could end before it has really even begun.
Aune Heggebo, who has been starting upfront, has just one goal and two assists from nine matches so far, so it is time for a chance, and Maja should be raring to go.
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