Both aiming to keep their faint playoff dreams alive and kicking, West Bromwich Albion and Watford will clash at The Hawthorns in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
The Baggies suffered more late heartbreak on Tuesday night at fellow top-six chasing Bristol City, whilst the Hornets secured a much-needed maximum over Hull City at Vicarage Road.
Match preview
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Just when they needed to show a little bit of positive consistency in the top-six race, West Bromwich Albion have now lost three straight Championship matches for the first time since April 2024 following a sobering game in the West Country versus Bristol City on Tuesday night.
The defeat will sting those of a Baggies persuasion even more when considering that their side were pushing hard for a winner during an open second period once Alex Mowatt had equalised, but Haydon Roberts‘s late shot snuck through the legs of Josh Griffiths and into the visitors’ net.
Currently in the midst of a five-game winless streak as the second-tier campaign reaches its dramatic conclusion, Tony Mowbray‘s boys have slipped down from a comfortable fifth to eighth spot in the Championship table, five points behind Coventry City in sixth with five games remaining.
Losing just three of their 20 league matches at The Hawthorns this term, the Baggies should be relatively confident of earning a positive result this weekend despite their recent decline, although the Black Country outfit were defeated on their own patch last time out, when a Trai Hume free kick won the day for Sunderland.
Despite arriving at the end of January to replace Valencia-bound Carlos Corberan, 61-year-old Mowbray is yet to land on his preferred XI as the season draws to a close, with many of the opinion that the former Black Cats head coach is failing to get the most out of a talented squad.
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As is the case with Saturday afternoon’s hosts, Watford are a former Premier League regular who are now struggling to compete for promotion back to the promised land, although the Hertfordshire outfit enjoyed a successful night at Vicarage Road against Hull on Tuesday.
For a third game in the last five matches, the Hornets managed to keep their Championship opponents at bay, allowing them to win the contest by netting a single goal past Tigers shot-stopper Ivor Pandur, with former Tottenham Hotspur enforcer Moussa Sissoko stepping up to the attacking plate.
Although still in with a slight chance of sneaking into the post-season picture in May, Tom Cleverley‘s troops rank just 16th in the division based on away form, with this weekend’s visitors to The Hawthorns victorious in only four of their 20 second-tier away clashes this term.
Tuesday night’s triumph over Hull has kept the Hornets in contention for a playoff berth, with Watford currently occupying 10th position in the Championship rankings ahead of a trip to the Black Country, six points behind Frank Lampard‘s Coventry in the lowest of the top-six spots.
With the memories of talents such as Joao Pedro quickly fading at Vicarage Road, Vakoun Issouf Bayo has been left to become the main man in attack, with the 28-year-old Ivorian leading his side’s Golden Boot race in the second tier during 2024-25, boasting 10 strikes across 36 appearances.
Team News
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After making a positive impression off the bench at Bristol City earlier in the week, winter arrival Tammer Bany is knocking hard on Mowbray’s door for his maiden Championship start.
The 21-year-old could be joined in an altered West Brom XI by England Under-21 international Tom Fellows, who is quickly becoming an assist expert on the right flank.
The Baggies are set to be without the services of Jayson Molumby, with the ill-disciplined midfielder seeing red for lashing out late on at Ashton Gate on Tuesday.
Watford’s creative ranks have taken a major hit in recent weeks, with both Giorgi Chakvetadze (toe) and Kwadwo Baah (thigh) unlikely to feature again this season.
Joining the attacking pair in the Hornets’ medical room, Yasser Larouci picked up a groin issue last weekend and could also be sidelined for the final five matches.
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Furlong, Bartley, Holgate, Styles; Diakite, Mowatt, Price; Bany, Armstrong, Grant
Watford possible starting lineup:
Selvik; Ngakia, Pollock, Abankwah, Wiley; Louza, Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko, Kayembe, Vata; Doumbia
We say: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Watford
Both harbouring hopes of a late surge into the top six, West Brom and Watford will be going all out for maximum points at The Hawthorns this weekend.
Despite their sobering results of late, the Baggies have continued to create plenty of goalscoring chances and should be good enough for victory in front of their own supporters.
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