Swift, who is the team’s top scorer, was forced to leave the game, adding to the frustration of Albion as they were controversially equalized by a contentious penalty.
The Baggies ultimately lost 3-1, with the hosts sealing the deal with a late third goal just before the international break. This defeat compounded Albion’s injury problems, particularly among their attacking players, a situation that Carlos Corberan is now grappling with.
John Swift will undergo a scan to determine the extent of his muscle injury. The team is already missing key strikers Daryl Dike until the new year and Josh Maja until at least mid-November. Jeremy Sarmiento is sidelined until after the international break, and any lingering issues with Swift would leave only Jed Wallace and Brandon Thomas-Asante as recognized senior attackers.
It’s gone midnight in Small Heath on a night JD has left me ridjn’ solo. Here’s my vid summary condensed into Twitter/X’s annoying 2 min 20sec limit. 🗣️📹 #wba @ESAlbion_star pic.twitter.com/DU9LDBBuBS
— Lewis Cox (@LewisCox_star) October 6, 2023
A frustrated Corberan expressed regret that he didn’t substitute Swift earlier in the game, given the injury outcome. He emphasized the unpredictability of football and the calf injury that Swift suffered.
Swift had been leading Albion’s goal-scoring efforts this season, with six goals already to his name, just one short of his total from the entire previous season. Last season, it took until April for Swift to reach this six-goal mark.
In the absence of other options, academy graduate Tom Fellows, aged 20, was called upon to replace Swift, and he made a positive impression during this rare Championship appearance.
Corberan, on the other hand, was deeply disheartened and frustrated by the controversial penalty decision made by referee James Linington, which left both teams and the spectators at St. Andrew’s puzzled.
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