How Carlos Corberan has transformed West Bromwich Albion after Steve Bruce sacking

Sunderland head to the Hawthorns on Sunday with the Championship play-off battle finely balanced. Ahead of the game we take a closer look at what the Spaniard has changed to turn their fortunes around since he took charge.

Corberan was appointed on October 25, with the club 23rd in the league table after 16 games, having won just two games under former manager Steve Bruce.

The former Olympiacos manager lost his first game to promotion chasing Sheffield United. However the Baggies then went on to win nine of their next 10 league games.

Since then they have flown into the play-off hunt, sitting seventh and one point away from the play-off places, winning 15 out of their 27 league games under their new manager all together.

So what has Corberan changed?

In his time at Huddersfield he tended to play a high defensive line, a high pressing game and was focused on winning the ball back as quickly as possible. He models his play from Marcelo Bielsa, whom he was assistant manager to at Leeds United. This is shown with his fast and direct counter-attacking preference.

This style is different to Bruce’s more cautious and defensive style, which was clearly not getting results at the Hawthorns. While playing this style, the Baggies have managed to stay defensively sound only conceding 45 goals, the sixth lowest in the league.

And with the fourth highest expected goals in the league with 60.1, the performances from Corberan’s men should see them more secure in the play-offs but their finishing has let them down.

Since his appointment, West Brom have also won three games from losing positions, with Corberan instilling more belief in his side.

He likes his forward players to be flexible and rotate position during the game, something his strike force of Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jed Wallace, John Swift and Karlan Grant can all do well with their versatility.

With Sunderland’s lack of defensive options at the minute, their strike force will be looking to expose that with the inter-changeability up front.