Jeremy Sarmiento admits to promotion push at West Brom 'home'

Brighton loan youngster Sarmiento, 21, bagged his first Baggies – and career – goal with a thumping finish late on to rubber-stamp a 4-2 victory over Middlesbrough at The Hawthorns.

It has taken little time for Ecuador international attacker Sarmiento to become popular with the Baggies faithful, who even began chanting his name on the opening day of the season at Blackburn.

Sarmiento has had to be patient in his spell at The Hawthorns and is still to start for Albion despite Carlos Corberan insisting over a week ago he was physical ready to go from the off. The Seagulls starlet came to the Black Country on his way back from a number of months missing with a fractured metatarsal but having netted from the bench he will be desperate for a first start at home to struggling Huddersfield on Saturday before the season’s first international break.

“Yes, I could tell from the first game, they started singing my song,” Sarmiento told BBC WM about the love from the Albion faithful. “So that made me feel at home.

“Even if it’s only a loan, you can tell the fans are really happy about me being here.

“The lads have done that (too) and it’s good to be part of an exciting group.”

Sarmiento’s popularity in the Baggies squad was showcased as Kyle Bartley and Erik Pieters chanted the loanee’s name in the background while he conducted his interview.

Roberto De Zerbi, boss of his parent club Brighton, wanted the Ecuadorian to go and play as many games as possible this season.

And Sarmiento added another objective – for Corberan’s Albion to push and challenge for promotion.

“The main objective here is for me to get minutes and games, but the most important thing is for me to try and help the team get promotion,” he said.

“From the first game, the gaffer was straight on to us that we need to win games and if we do that, why not? Let’s dream high and hope we can get there.”