Express & Star journalist Lewis Cox has confirmed that West Brom midfielder Grady Diangana was left out against Sheffield Wednesday partly due to illness.
Diangana was dropped from Albion’s starting line-up for the 1-0 win on Tuesday [3 October], despite a starring role in the thumping 4-0 victory at Preston North End three days earlier.
Brandon Thomas-Asante was recalled to the starting lineup, with Diangana just getting four minutes off the bench at the end of the game at The Hawthorns.
However, after discussing team selection with Albion manager Carlos Corberan, Cox stated that the 25-year-old was not feeling 100% ahead of the match.
“[Corberan] actually revealed to us just now that Diangana was ill last night and today, so that’s another part of the reason why he didn’t start,” Cox explained [Express & Star, 3 September].
“Didn’t Diangana deserve to stay in the team?” Let us be honest.”
Unfortunate
The big question mark heading into the visit of Wednesday was whether Corberan, who has showed this season he is not afraid to make mass changes between games, would stick with the same side that eased past Preston.
That was arguably Albion’s best result under the Spaniard, yet he decided to recall centre-forward Thomas-Asante alongside Jed Wallace and match-winner John Swift in attack.
Diangana was unfortunate to make way, but this update explains Corberan’s decision to alter a winning formula.
The former West Ham player had previously started back-to-back games, and it will be interesting to see if he is recalled to the XI – whether in place of Thomas-Asante or someone else – for the trip to neighbours Birmingham City on Friday [6 October].
Either way, the Baggies will enter that big showdown full of confidence after getting the job done against bottom side Wednesday to make it five games without defeat.