West Brom 'cannot argue' Brandon Thomas-Asante Chesterfield ban

The seven-goal striker will miss tomorrow's league trip to Luton, the FA Cup replay against Chesterfield next Tuesday and the trip to Burnley a week tonight with the suspension.

It was confirmed on Tuesday night that Thomas-Asante had been slapped with a violent conduct charge by the Football Association after a review of footage showed an alleged elbow to Chesterfield right-back Jeff King late on in last weekend's third round tie – just prior to the striker's dramatic equaliser.

Albion will not appeal the suspension.

Head coach Corberan takes his in-form Baggies to Kenilworth Road tomorrow as seventh hosts ninth in the Championship. The Spaniard admitted this morning Albion will have to 'compensate' for the popular frontman's absence when it comes to leading their attack.

"The only (new) player we know is not going to be available for tomorrow's game is Asante, because he had the suspension," Corberan said at this pre-Luton press conference.

"All the rest of the team are ready, and even more players are now ready to compete because the minutes they played in the cup against Chesterfield has made the squad grow – there are now more minutes in the legs of more players."

The head coach added: "I was surprised because, I promise you, I didn't see anything in the game. I didn't read anything or listen to anything, I was just preparing this week as normal, and then arrived the declaration of the referee, understanding he'd have a three-game suspension, by one action which I watched, and I understand the criteria.

"There are rules that I cannot argue with if a player receives a foul before to make this foul, or there were things that in the end were not part of this criteria. All I can do is accept the decision, and to adapt to the decision in terms of our plans – not only for this game.

"Asante has been an important player for us and there's no type of doubt that we need to collectively try to make more things, to compensate that we are not going to have this important player.

"Everyone who knows him, Asante has a character of someone very humble and with a lot of humility. It's true that it's an action that any player can receive a red card for, you can interpret that as being fair or unfair, but every player needs to take care of these types of actions on the pitch.

"This is something Asante must learn from, if in this moment we lose a player, it'd have been more difficult to get the draw and keep going in the competition – which is important for us.

"Every experience is important to learn from, because as I say in football you must have lot of emotional control, to manage the game, to manage your behaviours and to help your team."

The obvious inclusion to spearhead Albion's frontline at the Hatters is Daryl Dike, who powered in a headed winner last time out in league action against Reading.

Dike was handed a breather against the Spireites in the Cup last weekend but was required in the second half as Corberan sent on his big-hitters to salvage the tie.

Corberan hinted that other options, if required, to take the striker role in his side include Karlan Grant – who he is keen to play in his 'natural' role wide left – as well as Matty Phillips, who led the line at QPR under Corberan, as well as attacking midfielders John Swift and Tom Rogic.

"At the same time we have a couple of players who can play in a number of positions," he said when asked about Dike. "For example we have Grant, he can play as a winger – he's starting now to play as a winger because before he was playing more as a striker.

"He was limited before to one position which is not his main position, because we know he's a winger, but he can play there too.

"For example, I remember at QPR, when Grant was not in the team, Dike was not in the team and we played Phillips as a striker. Even Swift can play as a false striker, and Rogic.

"We have alternatives. Always you must adapt to the circumstances and try to find the solutions."