West Brom dealt huge blow as key man's injury confirmed
Albion’s Championship survival hopes have been dealt a huge blow after it emerged winger Mikey Johnston suffered a stress fracture in Saturday’s defeat at Oxford.
The Republic of Ireland international is likely to miss the rest of the season with the injury, sustained just 22 minutes into the match at the Kassam Stadium.
Johnston will visit a specialist later this week for a full prognosis and to establish a clearer timescale for his return.
But with just two months of the season remaining, it is highly likely the 26-year-old will not feature again.
Johnson had been comfortably the most creative player in an Albion side which has struggled for goals this season, setting up nine and scoring two himself in 34 Championship appearances.
His injury ahead of a crucial run-in, as the club battle against relegation from the second tier, is a considerable setback.
Johnston had left the Kassam Stadium, where Albion were beaten 2-1 to extend their winless league run to 11 matches, on crutches with interim boss James Morrison painting a bleak outlook in his post-match press conference.
"It was his ankle, he just got it stuck in the ground, I think," said Morrison. "We'll have to assess it, but it didn't look good. When you're down there, you get no luck, do you?"
Johnston's replacement off the bench at Oxford, 19-year-old academy graduate Ollie Bostock, scored the visiting team's goal and could now be poised for a first career start in Saturday's match at Sheffield United.
The Baggies, still targeting their first league win of 2026, sit just one place and point above the drop zone.
