Maja instinct, a goalkeeper statement and a psychological victory: Three key points from West Brom's 1-0 win at Norwich

Albion went ahead through the returning Josh Maja in the first half in what was a scrappy opening 45 minutes.

In the second they had to withstand late pressure - with Albion having to withstand late pressure as Josh Griffiths produce stunning saves on their way to victory.

Jonny Drury looks at three points to come from their third away win of the season.

The Maja instinct

I've been loathed to criticise Aune Heggebo since he came in because his displays by large have been superb.

His hold up play has been excellent - and he has helped to create and brought so much to the Albion side.

However, he has only found the net once so far as he continues to find his feet in the Championship.

But while Heggebo brings those qualities - Albion do lack that striker's instinct of being in the right place at the right time.

While it will no doubt come for Heggebo - Josh Maja is someone who has it.

He showed it against Leicester but failed to convert his chances from the bench - but here he made no mistake with his first chance.

We knew he had it and his return would be huge for Albion - but we did not envisage he would come back with such a bang.

Heggebo's exclusion could be seen as harsh - but Maja's eye for goal and being in the right place at the right time is invaluable.

It was his only chance of the game but he took it - and it underlined how clinical he can be. Kyle Bartley said this week that Maja being in the side is key to the promotion hopes - and you have to say he is right.

A statement night for Griffiths

Aside from a couple of useful contributions in the first half - Griffiths looked relatively untroubled for large parts of the game, aside from a top save from a free kick early in the second half.

Norwich had a lot of second half pressure - but up until the final ten minutes of the game it was the Albion backline taking the plaudits as they headed everything away.

But Griffiths produced two stunning late saves. He kept out a header from close range before a point blank stop to deny an even bigger late chance.

He rightly earned the plaudits at the end - with the Albion players marching Griffiths over to the away end to take the adulation. 

He has been Albion's number one for a while now - but this display felt like a statement from Griffiths. A statement underlining his talent and his huge importance to Albion when he is called upon.

A psychological victory

As the game ticked into the final ten minutes - then the final five, and six minutes of added time - there will no doubt have been a nagging feeling in the back of the Albion players' minds.

Having conceded late goals twice against Derby, once in the EFL Cup and then in the league, and against Leicester on Friday - the last thing they would have wanted was to have it happen again.

The longer it stayed 1-0, the more Norwich stayed in the game.

So to get over the line, record the clean sheet and see out the victory will have been massive from a psychological stand point for Albion. If they had conceded late again, they run the risk of getting labelled for shipping crucial late goals.

They didn't, they stood up and passed a difficult test.