Tony Mowbray confirms West Brom injury nightmare on eve of Norwich City clash

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray has confirmed top scorer Josh Maja will remain sidelined for the rest of the regular season and only has a chance of playing a part if the Baggies reach the play-offs.

Maja is yet to feature under Mowbray after suffering a lower leg injury at the beginning of January. The striker had scored 12 goals in 26 Championship appearances before his fitness woes, double the total of nearest challengers Alex Mowatt and Karlan Grant.

It’s hoped Maja can still feature before the season concludes, but it’s very unlikely unless Albion can extend their 2024/25 term through a top-six finish. It’s a huge blow for Maja, who also had a torrid time with injuries during his first campaign when he was sidelined for lengthy periods through two separate ankle problems.

West Brom are currently sixth in the Championship with eight cup final-like matches to go. Bristol City, also on 57 points but with an eight inferior goal difference, are breathing down the Baggies’ necks. Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers, meanwhile, are three and five points behind Albion respectively.

When previewing the next game, away at Norwich City, Mowbray admitted: "I saw Maja on Tuesday, happy, nice and smiley but still feels as if he is a little bit away. Hopefully, if we can extend the season, he might have a part to play.

"I’m sure it has been tough. He’s been in a brace thing on his left most of the time I’ve been here. When I bump into him in the corridor and ask how he is, he’s pretty positive. I think he’s looking forward to getting back and showing us what he can do.”

Tony Mowbray identifies West Brom problem

Mowbray hasn’t had the easiest time of it since his arrival as Carlos Corberan’s successor as several important players have been sidelined. Maja leads the injured pack, while the likes of Kyle Bartley, Semi Ajayi and Jed Wallace have endured spells in the treatment room lately.

Nonetheless, Mowbray has managed to keep Albion ticking. Results may not be the most enthralling at times, but the new head coach has maintained West Brom’s robustness with just two defeats suffered on his watch. Of the other nine matches, five have been won and four have been drawn.

Having Maja back would be handy as the Baggies have been rather toothless in front of goal recently, only managing to score more than one goal on four attempts out of 15 since the turn of the year. Mowbray is fully aware of that fact.

"I know his talent. We obviously would like more goals in our team and Maja would probably bring that,” Mowbray added via our sister publication, Express & Star. “A totally different type of footballer from (Adam) Armstrong of course but a combination that could really work.

"We’ve got a lot of talented boys, it’s just getting the right balance on the right day. You’d have to say Maja is a miss to the football club with his goals that he obviously could bring and has brought already the first half of the season."