Brandon Thomas-Asante setting West Brom targets high

The striker, who celebrates his 24th birthday tomorrow, is quickly becoming a firm favourite among Baggies fans with his tireless displays and an eye for a spectacular goal.

Thomas-Asante, the summer signing from League Two outfit Salford City, scored his fifth goal of the season – and second breathtaking effort in Albion colours – with a fine lob in the Boxing Day win at Bristol City. The striker admits he has an eye on the top of the Championship goalscoring charts.

“I spoke to a few of the (club) media team and my parents before the game because I knew I wasn’t starting,” Thomas-Asante said following his goal impact.

“I said to my mum before the game that hopefully I can fix the minutes-per-goal (stat) if I come on, so I’m happy.

“But I know there’s more to do, last time I checked it was (Coventry’s Viktor) Gyokeres at the top of the standings for goals so I want to keep closing that gap.”

Gyokeres, who scored from the penalty spot against Albion last week, now shares the top of the second-tier goal charts with Middlesbrough’s Chuba Akpom on 12.

After reaching five, Thomas-Asante still has a long way to catch up with the league’s leading lights, but such a bold statement is typical of his sharp ambition and focus.

The striker’s steely determination was also evident in his statement surmising the squad and Carlos Corberan’s ambition to guide Albion to promotion.

He added when quizzed on the form of six wins from seven: “It’s been a long time coming and we’re all so grateful to see it.

“We’ve known we’re going in that direction, this isn’t the destination, just part of the journey, it’s good to see because we know West Brom, if anything, doesn’t belong in the league let alone in the bottom half. Now it’s down to us to keep going in that direction, not to settle, we’re all in one mind we want to get promoted and so we’re going for that.”

Thomas-Asante admitted the squad were pleased they could prove to their head coach they could show a positive response to what they felt was a somewhat unjust, or certainly in its manner, last-gasp defeat at Coventry last week.

His late stunner wrapped up the points in Bristol on Monday.

A gorgeous left-footed loft over stranded goalkeeper Max O’Leary and into the top corner in front of a gleeful away following marked his second breath-taking strike – following the stunning bicycle kick against Stoke before the World Cup break.

“They are different types of goals, to be fair,” he added of the effort. “I’m just happy that with both of them I’ve got players around me so I’ve just got to focus on the taking and scoring of it.

“I couldn’t quite pick between the two but I’m just grateful to be on the pitch and have the opportunity.

“It felt like the moment slowed right down, I saw it go over the keeper and I thought ‘is it going to drop in time?’

“Thank God it did, some of those things, playing with instinct, I can only thank God because sometimes you do something without thinking and it’s almost like it’s not me, so I’m super grateful and hope for more of those opportunities and moments.”