Carlos Corberan optimistic on West Brom's Nathaniel Chalobah after debut

The 28-year-old January recruit was handed a first Baggies start in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Blackburn at The Hawthorns.

He managed 51 minutes before limping off after a bang on his knee in the first period. One-cap England international Chalobah impressed as the contest progressed and showed signs of energy and technical ability before he was withdrawn.

“I didn’t talk with the doctor at the end, but it doesn’t look like an injury,” said Baggies chief Corberan.

“He received a kick and it was on the nerve. He couldn’t find the mobility, and he was having a pain which didn’t allow him to keep going.

“He was uncomfortable in the last 10 minutes of the first half, we asked him in the rest time if he can keep playing but he couldn’t manage the pain he had in the knee.”

Corberan added: “We know he’s a player who, like Marc (Albrighton), is someone who can help us to keep growing in the squad to make us a better team.

“Of course, Chalobah is a player who has a lot of possibilities to help the team a lot.”

Chalobah, a former Chelsea youngster who also turned out for Watford and Fulham, was handed a start instead of Jayson Molumby against Rovers.

Irishman Molumby was introduced for Chalobah after the break and built on the latter’s good work. Molumby struck a post before heading in the opener 17 minutes from time.

He might have nodded a dramatic stoppage-time winner after Blackburn’s equaliser but was denied by a desperate save.

Corberan’s play-off chasers were denied a return to winning ways – and a club-record seventh straight league win without conceding – as Ben Brereton Diaz’s 89th-minute free-kick was too hot for debutant goalkeeper Josh Griffiths to handle.

Chalobah was one of Corberan’s four changes, including Griffiths, Brandon Thomas-Asante and John Swift, to come into the side.

The latter pair were bright and impressed, though it was Swift’s poor pass to Molumby that eventually led to the visitors’ late free-kick.

Corberan explained: “The more complicated thing to digest was that I was thinking we were very close to the three points and even with the chance to score the second goal.

“We know every game is going to be difficult, we need to analyse what we did well or not.

“We can only insist, insist and insist and keep going.

“There is no time to go (heads) down because I don’t think they deserve to go down because for me they did what they had to do in the second half.

“The team competed well but we didn’t manage well and make the right decision in one action, it cost a lot and we suffered the consequence.

“The performance in the second half was excellent, I don’t have any type of doubt of the commitment of this group of players.

“Now we need to fix the details.”