West Bromwich Albion lost 2-0 to Tottenham on Sunday, but there was one positive in the form of Okay Yokuslu’s debut for the Baggies. The 26-year-old replaced Romaine Sawyers in the 78th minute and made an impact in midfield.

Yokuslu played for less than a quarter of an hour and turned over the ball three times, only one less than Lee Peltier, who was on the pitch for 90 minutes (WhoScored). Sam Allardyce should be pleased with the midfielder’s combative performance and may reward him with a start against Manchester United on Sunday.

Valued at £3.6m by Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old joined Albion on loan from Celta Vigo on transfer deadline day last week but had to wait a few days before getting international clearance to finalise his move. He duly missed the Baggies’ 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United but is now at Allardyce’s disposal.

READ WEST BROM VERDICT

West Brom have the lowest possession average in the Premier League with 40.6% as well as the division’s second-worst passing completion rate with 73.4% (as per WhoScored), so the midfield has needed a revamp for some time.

With Albion 11 points adrift of safety, time is running out to salvage their top-flight status. The existing midfielders have proven they’re not up to the task, so it’s time to use a new face in the engine room. Yokuslu should be in line for his full Baggies debut on Sunday.