West Brom 2-0 Preston - Report
As uncertainty reigned off the pitch Albion signed off for 2022 in continued style with an Okay Yokuslu-inspired seventh victory in eight.
The Baggies' Turkish midfield maestro struck in either half as visitors Preston were sent packing at a sold-out and appreciative Hawthorns.
Yokuslu had only scored once for Albion before tonight - the winner in Carlos Corberan's first victory - but trebled his tally for the club with two fine efforts, both of which he started by winning the ball.
It comes hot on the back of his starring role at Bristol City on Boxing Day as Corberan's in-form flyers brushed off financial and ownership fears in the stands to climb to ninth with yet another clean sheet, just a single point off the play-off places.
With the deadline for Guochuan Lai's £5million loan repayment just two days away and news of the £20m MSD Holdings loan being digested, Corberan and Co. can do little else on the pitch to try to inspire brighter times ahead.
Fans may be enduring justifiable fear for the club's future, including its historic home, but for 90 minutes their side continue to offer some hope.
Corberan made three alterations to the side that comfortably saw off Bristol City 2-0 on Boxing Day.
In came striker Brandon Thomas-Asante for Daryl Dike following the former's wondergoal at Ashton Gate. Joining him in the side was Tom Rogic, for John Swift, and Grady Diangana - making just his second start under Corberan - for Matt Phillips, who missed out through illness.
The Hawthorns paid tribute to all those connected with Albion to have passed away in 2022 - while there was also a tribute to Brazilian legend Pele, whose death aged 82 was announced ahead of kick-off.
It was a rousing entrance atmosphere but Ryan Lowe's visitors Preston, off the back of disappointing back-to-back home defeats, settled the better, as Ryan Ledson and Alvaro Fernandez both let fly from distance, neither of which worried the Baggies' goal.
Supporter group Action For Albion's pre-planned 12th minute blank A4 protest against controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai came and went with roughly a few thousand involved - though it was the kind of action that required 20,000-plus to look a powerful spectacle.
Corberan's men were quiet in the early stages and needed to a spark to get them going.
The spark, as is so familiar, came through Jed Wallace. Though the hosts found Freddie Woodman in the visiting goal in inspired early form.
Wallace was released down the right, sold Patrick Bauer with a glorious nutmeg but saw his low strike curl just off target across Woodman's goal and kiss the post on its way wide.
The winger had another sighter with Woodman equal to his effort from the edge of the box with a parried save. Woodman then beat away a Diangana strike as the hosts upped the ante.
Former Newcastle keeper Woodman was at his best just after half hour to somehow deny Thomas-Asante, who had been slipped through on goal by Diangana.
The striker appeared to do everything right with his fierce drive but the busy Woodman's reactions were spectacular.
Next Yokuslu played Wallace through but the shot-stopper would not relent and again denied the hosts.
But he could do nothing at all about the effort which broke the deadlock nine minutes before the break.
Yokuslu - whose first Baggies goal came in Corberan's first win, against Blackpool - did the hard work by retrieving possession after Rogic lost it. He then danced through a challenge before taking aim from 25 yards.
The strike was magnificent, clean as a whistle and arrowed into the bottom left corner. There was nothing Woodman could do about that one.
Yokuslu deservedly took the Halfords Lane adulation.
Albion's start to the second half was quiet and the away end roared as Preston asked a few questions of the Baggies box.
Corberan sought to rectify and did so by introducing Swift for the quiet Rogic inside 10 minutes of the restart. Like many of the head coach's substitutions since his arrival in the Black Country, the change worked a treat.
Swift had already seen a dipping strike flick the woodwork on its way over before the lead was doubled before the hour.
This time it was high press that did for unwilling Preston. Woodman passed out to Ben Whiteman who could not handle the pressure as Yokuslu steamed in.
Yokuslu exchanged passes with Swift, whose return was perfectly-timed and weighted. The hugely popular Turk did the rest with a composed, stabbed finish high beyond Woodman.
Corberan introduced Adam Reach and Dike - the latter who went mightily close to a memorable third after he sent a defender flying. All the changes enjoyed an influence in a comfortable and enjoyable finale.
Teams
Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, O'Shea (c), Pieters, Townsend; Molumby (Gardner-Hickman, 78), Yokuslu; Wallace (Grant, 78), Rogic (Swift, 54), Diangana (Reach, 63); Thomas-Asante (Dike, 63).
Subs not used: Button, Ajayi.
Preston (3-5-2) : Woodman; Storey (Diaby, 65), Bauer, Lindsay; Potts, Ledson (McCann, 65), Browne (c) (Woodburn, 78), Whiteman, Fernandez; Evans, Riis (Cross-Adair, 65).
Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Johnson.
Attendance: 25,321 (1,972 Preston fans)
Referee: Andy Woolmer
