Carlos Corberan salutes West Brom attitude of Jed Wallace

Albion’s head coach was keen to bring both Jeremy Sarmiento and Grady Diangana into the team to try and break down the obstinate Lions, and engaged both Wallace and Brandon Thomas-Asante to chat through his plans.

In doing so, he revealed that Wallace, while always wanting to play, could understand dropping to the bench for the good of the team.

“Jed Wallace this week has showed me and to our team why he is our captain,” said Corberan.

“When I was preparing the game on Friday, I thought it was important to have Sarmiento and Diangana in the first XI – trying to play the game that they wanted to do, to be aggressive with the playmakers.

“I was talking with Wallace and Asante to explain that one would play as a number nine, and one would start on the bench.

“I wanted to explain to them that because both are very important players to me and to the team, and I respect them a lot. Wallace said to me that Asante should play, even though he was fully determined to play against Millwall. He thought that the best way for the team was to use our number nine.

“Wallace doesn’t like to miss any minutes, but he has a lot of value in this club and with his team behind this answer. He is someone who was thinking of the team before himself – it’s as simple as that.

“I am proud and pleased to have him as the captain of my team.”