Last week was a whirlwind for James Shan. Following Darren Moore's surprise dismissal, Shan was ushered in as caretaker manager at the Hawthorns and he has since steadied the ship with back-to-back wins.

Victories over Swansea and Brentford were timely for the Baggies who now seem destined for the play-offs after cementing their position in the Championship's fourth spot.

Saturday's 1-0 victory over Brentford would have particularly pleased Shan, given that the Bees had previously gone seven games unbeaten at Griffin Park. The success also meant the Baggies are yet to concede a goal under Shan's stewardship, scoring four in the process.

Previous promotion-winning managers Slavisa Jokanovic and Alex Neil were initially earmarked as favourites to replace Moore permanently, but there has still been no update from the club. This has led to suggestions that Shan could be asked to stay on until the end of the season, with a more experienced coach appointed alongside him to assist on a short-term basis.

Shan has clearly impressed since taking the reigns. Here, we take a look at the reasons why he has forced himself into contention for the role until the end of the season...

Trust in youth

Shan handed a first league start to Baggies' academy product Kyle Edwards, and he didn't disappoint. The 21-year-old started on the wing and he scored a magnificent solo effort early in the second half to earn his side all three points.

Edwards picked the ball up on the right wing and danced his way past four Brentford players before poking the ball beyond Luke Daniels.

West Brom needed a moment of magic to outfox a resilient Brentford side and Shan knew that Edwards had the capability and eagerness to deliver this on his full league debut. His inclusion in the side worked a treat.

Tactical switches

West Brom have been one of the Championship's free-scoring sides this season, with a wealth of attacking talent at their disposal. The Baggies have the second-best scoring record in the league with 72 goals, but the resilience of Shan's side has been most impressive in these two games.

Shan's use of a stable 4-5-1 formation has contributed towards his two clean sheets after they conceded five goals in the last two games of Moore's tenure.

This has also marked a return to basics in West Brom's playing style whereby they have taken fewer risks when playing out from the back.

Time is ticking

There are now just eight matches left in West Brom's regular season, which means an external appointment would not have long to implement their philosophy on the side.

This has led to the belief among some fans that Shan should be allowed to lead the Baggies' play-off campaign come the end of the season. It seems a sensible option given last week's success.