Mikey Johnston joined West Brom from Celtic (Credit: Imago)
Thu 14 November 2024 21:38, UK
Ronnie Whelan was left in awe by West Brom star Mikey Johnston after his “magnificent” assist for the Republic of Ireland in the 1-0 win against Finland on Thursday.
The 25-year-old started for his country at the Aviva Stadium in the UEFA Nations League clash [14 November] and rewarded boss Heimir Hallgrimsson by assisting Evan Ferguson for the winning goal.
While all the attention was on Ferguson for the strike, Whelan couldn’t help but wax lyrical about Johnston live on RTE [14 November, 8:33pm] for his role in the decisive goal.
He said: “It was from great work from Mikey Johnston. He gets down the left hand side, he comes alive. He has so many tricks and step overs and gets a yard of space and it is a magnificent ball in. Also, what a header from Evan Ferguson.”
Mikey Johnston is finding his feet at West Brom
Carlos Corberan finally brought the Baggies’ eight-match winless run to an end in the Championship with the 2-1 victory against Hull City, with Johnston playing a vital role at the MKM Stadium.
The forward turned into “prime Messi” as dubbed by the West Brom faithful as he assisted Karlan Grant for the opener in a performance more attuned to why Corberan was so eager to bring him back to The Hawthorns this summer.
West Brom have desperately lacked a clinical edge in front of goal as of late, only scoring twice in seven Championship outings before the win against Hull, and should consider themselves lucky they are still in fifth place in the table and well on track to finish in a playoff spot.
While the Baggies have struggled in the league, Johnston once again has used the international break as a much-needed respite to rediscover his clinical touch in front of goal and picked up exactly where he left off with the Republic of Ireland after the October international break.
His current form will be a welcome boost for Corberan. West Brom will face joint-league leaders Sunderland and Sheffield United after the break and will need to prove the underwhelming run of form is behind them.
Albion remain with an outside chance for automatic promotion with only a six-point gap to the Championship summit, and the side could be primed to launch a resurgence up the league table with Johnston firing on all cylinders for club and country.
In other West Brom news, Carlos Corberan makes an admission about Callum Styles at the Baggies amid his ‘outstanding’ Torbjorn Heggem verdict.
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