By Daily Sports Nigeria on October 3, 2024

Super Eagles striker Josh Maja’s place in West Bromwich Albion’s starting lineup is under threat following a disappointing performance in their 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Hawthorns on Tuesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The loss saw the Baggies surrender their top spot in the Championship, as Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough claimed a slim victory through Hayden Hackney’s late goal.

Maja, who had been in red-hot form with seven goals in seven league appearances before the match, failed to maintain his scoring streak and missed a golden opportunity to equalise late in the second half.

The 25-year-old struggled throughout the game, losing possession 12 times and winning only 40% of his duels. His ineffectiveness in front of goal was particularly noticeable when he was unable to convert a chance created by Alex Mowatt deep into the second half.West Brom manager Carlos Corberan now faces a difficult decision ahead of their weekend clash with Millwall. The Spanish tactician might consider dropping the Nigeria international to spark a reaction from his team that has now suffered back-to-back defeats.

However, Corberan could also opt to stick with the former Fulham striker, who remains the division’s top scorer despite his recent poor showing.

The Baggies’ overall performance was lacklustre, with the team managing just one shot on target throughout the match.

This defeat serves as a wake-up call for West Brom, who now find themselves outside the automatic promotion spots.

The team will need to regroup quickly as they face more challenging fixtures in the coming weeks.

As for Maja, the striker will be keen to put this performance behind him and regain the form that saw him score seven goals in his first seven league appearances for the Baggies. His ability to bounce back could be crucial for West Brom’s promotion aspirations this season.

Source Punch Ng

Posted October 3, 2024

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