This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.
West Bromwich Albion sit top of the table once again thanks to one man’s heroics this weekend. With other results going their way on Saturday afternoon, Slaven Bilic’s side now have a two-point cushion at the summit.
Snapshot
The Baggies had to work hard for their win, however, as they came from behind to snatch all three points at Birmingham City.
Lukas Jutkiewicz headed the home side in front early on before Grady Diangana’s effort soon evened things out, but then straight after the break, Harlee Dean handed the Blues the lead once again.
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The game looked to be heading towards just Albion’s second defeat of the season until Bilic introduced Charlie Austin.
He scored an eight-minute brace to swing things in their favour starting with an outrageous half-volley from outside the area.
Then nine minutes from time, he met Darnell Furlong’s cross from deep with a textbook back post header.
Off the Bench
Despite being limited to substitute appearances over the last few weeks, Austin is finally starting to show why West Brom paid £4m for him in the summer.
He’s been a useful option since he joined the club but Saturday afternoon really displayed the predatory Championship striker we’ve seen for years at long last.
Both goals were sublime attempts – even the latter displayed the sort of movement from your striker that you’d expect in the top flight. Superb.
The 30-year-old has now scored six times in their last five matches taking his total to eight in all competitions this season, making him the top goalscorer for the Baggies. That’s something that was hard to imagine at the start of the season when he could only score once in 11 league games – via Transfermarkt.
Austin must surely be making Bilic think differently with January soon on the horizon.
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In other news, supporters have been slamming one Baggies player following the victory over Birmingham…
