Mikey Johnston key to West Brom’s playoff hopes after jaw-dropping display vs Oxford United
West Brom ended their winless streak on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Oxford United, as Mikey Johnston ran the show at The Hawthorns.
Johnston was on fire for West Brom, creating plenty of chances for the Baggies against the struggling U’s.
This will have come as little surprise to many, with the winger one of the few standouts for the Black Country outfit throughout their recent poor spell.
However, against Oxford United, he arguably had one of his best games yet, and he could now be the key to West Brom’s playoff push after the international break.
Mikey Johnston runs the show vs Oxford United
Before the Oxford match, Johnston was surprisingly placed on the bench for Charlton, which ended in a 1-0 defeat.
However, he was back in the starting XI on Saturday and rewarded Mason’s faith with a fabulous display.
According to Fotmob on 8 November, the winger created the most chances in the match at five, while also performing the most dribbles at four.
Johnston also produced an astonishing seven shots, while also having 12 touches inside of Oxford United’s box.
| Mikey Johnston vs Oxford United | |
| Minutes | 88 |
| Dribbles | 4 |
| Chances created | 5 |
| Shots | 7 |
| Touches in opposition box | 12 |
| xG + xA | 0.41 |
| Passing accuracy | 77% |
It was an incredible performance, and the attacker was rightly given a standing ovation when he was subbed off just before full-time despite not claiming a goal or an assist.
When the international break finishes, if this form can continue, Johnston could easily fire the Baggies back into the playoffs.
Despite their recent drop-off, they are only four points away from sixth.
Hopefully, Johnston will be able to ensure that his upcoming appearances will also result in goal contributions.
What was Ryan Mason’s reaction to West Brom’s win over Oxford United?
Given that Mason was under pressure to get a win at West Brom, the manager was extremely pleased with the result.
The Englishman highlighted the creativity as a major positive, but believes that the Baggies need to be more clinical going forward.
“I’m happy with the three points,” he told the Express and Star on 8 November. “I think it was important to get three points today. I thought the performance deserved it.
“It was crazy that it was a 2-1 game at the end for the first half. We were excellent in terms of chance creation, momentum, penalty box entries.
“I think we had lots of shots at goal, so it’s there. We just need to be a bit more clinical in those moments.
“I think the thing that pleased me the most probably was the personality we showed after going 1-0 down, because I think it’s very easy to feel sorry for yourself, but we didn’t.
“We spoke a lot about that in the week – standing up, taking responsibility. Sometimes when you come through that type of game, it can be really beneficial.”
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