Carlos Corberan reveals Daryl Dike return call for Sunday's FA Cup tie
Daryl Dike is set to mark a return from almost nine months out injured with a start against Aldershot Town in the FA Cup on Sunday.
The US international striker has been sidelined since the middle of last April with a ruptured Achilles picked up in the victory at Stoke.
It was a third serious injury in his two years at The Hawthorns, the anniversary of which came earlier this week.
Carlos Corberan confirmed at his press conference on Thursday afternoon that the 23-year-old was set to start against the National League visitors in round three in a huge step for the centre-forward. Dike is likely to play the first half only as he builds up his fitness and match sharpness.
Corberan said: "Dike is going to have his first minutes after recovery. My plan is to probably start with him, but knowing that, more or less, the number of minutes he can play is around 45 minutes.
"The only difficulty we've had with Dike is that previously we haven't trained a lot.
"We have created specific trainings for compensation (over Christmas) but it's never the same, because when you are a player and you are playing two days later, the players who are part of this compensation played the previous day and then will play three days later."
The head coach confirmed that the powerful frontman, a £7million January 2022 recruit from Orlando City, was mentally ready and excited for a return.
"In the moment that Dike has been ready to be a part of the group has been a moment in time when we didn't train a lot," the Albion boss added.
"He did some bits, we've created specific training for him but never is it the same as playing a game. Sunday will be an important day for him, to have that feeling to be a part of the group and to be on the pitch. Hopefully he can compete and play well in the 45 minutes. It'd be very useful for him and us.
"Mentally he's ready and prepared. What's been a challenge is to get him ready to help the team in the previous games, as we tried to do. He's had this target, all the plans have been working, to help him arrive at this game and play the 45 minutes. That's what we are going to do."
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