Stoke v West Brom: Duo’s early impact brings double delight for Carlos Corberan

Both are expected to continue in Carlos Corberan’s side at Stoke tomorrow, a third start in three Championship games.

Striker Maja has returned from missing large parts of last season, his debut Albion campaign, through injury.

Defender Heggem, a central defender so far used at left-back, is not just new to the club, but new to the division and country and has settled in seamlessly.

Maja kick-started his season with a stunning hat-trick at QPR and Heggem has drawn praise for his defensive attributes and adventurous style in an unnatural position.

Corberan will hope the pair can continue to adjust themselves to their new side – this is the longest period of football Maja, 25, has played in 12 months at The Hawthorns – in the Potteries, where the Baggies take on Steven Schumacher’s hosts who have started with a win and a defeat and are yet to complete their summer business.

“I am very pleased with Josh Maja – not because he scored three goals, because there are going to be games where he doesn’t score, like every single player,” Corberan said of the former Sunderland, Fulham and Bordeaux frontman.

“I am very pleased to see his level of maturity. During the team’s recovery he was asking for videos on his opponents, it shows how much determination he has to be the player that he is.”

Heggem, 25, is so far the only summer recruit Albion have forked out a transfer fee on as the Norwegian arrived for £525,000 from Swedish outfit IF Brommapojkarna.

“Like I said, I didn’t bring Heggem to the club, Heggem is the consequence of the work that Ian Pearce did because he saw the players and how they cover the needs that we had,” Corberan said of the work of Albion’s head of football operations.

“There are two things, Heggem is still in an adaptation (period) and it is positive he was playing in a competition that started in January or February made him be more ready quicker rather than playing in a season from July to May.

“He didn’t start with us after any break, he had a break November and December and then was starting his competition, it helps the players to be more physically ready.

“He still needs time to adapt, but we know he’s a player that can give us a lot of versatility.”

Corberan added of his side’s start to the campaign: “I think winning a football game unfortunately doesn’t mean anything other than three points, to secure a place in the Championship you need to win many games.

“Because under 45 or 46 points you are not guaranteed your place in the Championship. We have three points so imagine how many we need! The target we have every time we are on the pitch is to win games.”