Josh Maja injury: West Brom suffer crushing blow

West Brom could be without Josh Maja for "the next few weeks" after missing Saturday's FA Cup defeat, according to DOOD.

The Baggies news outlet posted on X (14 January) to confirm that Maja is "a doubt" for the coming weeks, with the knock which saw him rested against Bournemouth now looking like a more serious issue.

Maja, the second-highest scorer in the Championship this season, was replaced by Karlan Grant up front at the Vitality Stadium, but Grant's performance underlined how reliant Albion are on their number nine.

DOOD said: "Josh Maja a doubt for the next few weeks. Rested for the cup game due to a knock but seems might be more of an issue now."

Josh Maja injury could throw West Brom season into chaos

You could take almost any other player out of the Baggies' first-choice starting XI for the coming games – even goalkeeper Alex Palmer – and it likely wouldn't have the same impact as Maja being missing.

Albion's defensive line has seen plenty of churn this season amid a spate of injuries, but when it comes to the centre-forward role, Maja is head and shoulders above any other potential candidate.

Signing a back-up striker to support Maja – and take some of the goalscoring burden off his shoulders – had been seen as paramount in the winter window, and is now absolutely crucial for Albion's prospects.

Even with the Baggies sat sixth in the Championship table and having the fourth-best defence in the league, Maja's goals have directly won them 13 of their 40 points so far this term.

Losing the Nigerian for any length of time is a huge blow, and with Albion still without a manager, having to find new faces in both the dugout and the forward line could spark panic stations at The Hawthorns.

In other West Brom news, Albion fans didn't hold back in their assessment of one player's performance against Bournemouth.

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