Alex Mowatt compares West Brom under Carlos Corberan and Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough | OneFootball

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West Bromwich Albion midfielder Alex Mowatt has revealed how the approach at the Baggies under Carlos Corberan is similar to Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough.

Mowatt, who spent last season on loan at the Riverside, explained that both managers have had their squads watching Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton for inspiration.

Does Alex Mowatt have a future at West Brom?

Corberan has made it clear that he sees a place for the midfielder at The Hawthorns this season - bringing the 28-year-old in from the cold after he spent last term with Boro.

It was an up and down loan spell for Mowatt, who made 31 appearances for the Teessiders in total. The Albion loanee featured regularly under Chris Wilder at the start of the 2022/23 campaign but found minutes harder to come by once Carrick took charge in October.

But he battled back into contention during the Championship run-in and helped Boro book their place in the play-offs before starting both legs of their semi-final against Coventry City, which ended in defeat.

Now back at West Brom, it seems the tactical flexiblity that having a player like Mowatt offers Corberan is much appreciated by the Spaniard and he is set to play a part for the Baggies this term. With a year left on his deal at the West Midlands club, he will be keen to make the most of his opportunity.

Michael Carrick and Carlos Corberan comparison

Both Albion and Boro will hold promotion aspirations this season but it seems there are more similarities between the pair than just that - as Mowatt revealed in a recent interview with the Express&Star.

He explained that just like Carrick, Corberan is keen for his team to play a style similar to De Zerbi's Brighton.

"To be honest the style he wants to play is similar to Boro last year," the midfielder explained.

"We've watched a few clips on Brighton this season and when I was at Boro we watched a few clips on Brighton. We actually played Brighton too, I think that's the new way of playing now, everyone's looking at Brighton, who are playing some unbelievable football.

"It's similar to how it was at Boro and I've been training with that all of last year, so it's good for me with a similar style, I can come here and it's not too much of a big change."

Alex Mowatt reflects on Middlesbrough spell

Mowatt also reflected on his time at the Riverside - highlighting the strange similarities between the two teams' upturn in form.

He said: "When I first went up there I was thinking 'yeah, there's two really good, strong teams', I thought one of them was going to get in the play-offs, so I had a better chance!"

"But we were both right down there at the start of the season so then I'm thinking 'I must be bad luck or something!'

"But both had a change of manager and it worked for both teams. Every time I'd check results after games we'd win and West Brom would win, then if we drew West Brom would draw. It was mad.

"We finished the season well at Boro at West Brom had a good season as well, considering where we both were at the start."