West Bromwich Albion reporter Lewis Cox has been reacting to an injury update regarding forward Daryl Dike.

The Lowdown: Dike’s absence

Dike has injured hamstring and thigh problems since making the move to The Hawthorns at the beginning of the year.

His latest issue has kept him out for the majority of the current Championship campaign, with the 22-year-old making just one appearance.

The forward only lined out twice last season, but it looks as if he is on the verge of returning under new manager Carlos Corberan.

The Latest: Injury return

Cox took to Twitter on Monday morning to relay the news that Dike was set to feature for the under-21s against Nottingham Forest.

He labelled it as a ‘big step’ in his recovery and said it ‘will be a real boost’, hinting at a possible first-team return against Stoke City this weekend.

Dike did indeed feature for the under-21s last night, playing 45 minutes and scoring from the penalty spot in a 5-1 defeat.

The Verdict: Good news

There have been some much-needed promising signs under Corberan with back-to-back 1-0 wins over Blackpool and QPR lifting them off the bottom of the table.

This update on Dike is extremely encouraging, and as Cox mentions, the American could be in line for a first-team return this weekend.

That will be welcomed by Corberan and everyone associated with the Baggies, and hopefully, Dike will provide the firepower in the second half of the season to lift the club away from danger and into the top half.