West Brom boss explains surprise Lewis Dobbin call in Preston draw

The Villa wideman has been on the periphery at The Hawthorns this season and prior to the clash at Deepdale his only start for the Baggies had arrived in the August EFL Cup exit at League Two Fleetwood.

Dobbin, 21, has struggled for regular action but stepped up his minutes over the last week with the whole second half at Sunderland and a surprise start against Preston.

The former Everton winger, who swapped Goodison Park for Villa Park in a £10million summer switch, was named ahead of Albion colleague Mikey Johnston as head coach Corberan felt his physicality suited the game better against a robust Preston side.

"I played with Dobbin because I had considered that he is a player where man-to-man you need to have players that can attack while receiving balls with someone strong in their back," Corberan said.

"He helped the team attack well in the first half - I like the first half he did."

Stoke-born Dobbin played 68 minutes at Deepdale before Corberan's first couple of changes, where he was withdrawn for wing-back Callum Styles.

Dobbin made his senior debut for former club Everton in 2021 and scored a first Premier League goal last season but moved to Villa in the summer shortly after former Albion product and Villa man Tim Iroegbunam moved to Merseyside in the other direction.

Prior to the Preston start Dobbin had entered as a sub in 13 league fixtures, but often in cameo roles and struggled to make an impact. He has played third fiddle to Karlan Grant and Johnston on Albion's left.

Dobbin spurned a glorious late chance to win last week's clash at Sunderland when a tame low strike was heading off-targeted before being blocked by Dan Ballard.