Exclusive: Kevin Phillips predicts West Brom v Leicester
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips has predicted that West Brom will earn a draw against Leicester on Sunday when they begin life back in the Premier League at The Hawthorns.
Slaven Bilic led the Baggies to a second-place finish and automatic promotion from the Championship last season but are yet to considerably strengthen their squad in the transfer window.
But that hasn’t stopped Phillips, who played for both West Brom and Leicester, from backing Bilic’s side to hold the Foxes to a draw in the Black Country.
“I think Slaven will be happy to take a draw,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“I would certainly take that right now to get some points on the board early doors. It’s going to be a tough afternoon.
“The first game of the season for a newly-promoted side is your best opportunity to get points on the board because you’re so excited, you’re raring to go and you might just catch a team who may be thinking ‘it’s a newly-promoted side, we don’t need to turn up today’.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if West Brom get a result but it will be difficult.
“I’m going to go with a draw.”
Albion have won just one of their last eight meetings with Leicester, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season under Brendan Rodgers.
The Black Country club also haven’t won a top-flight league game against the Foxes at The Hawthorns since March 1985 when Steve Hunt scored both goals in a 2-0 win.
And the bad omens continue for the Baggies, who know that Jamie Vardy has netted in all four of his visits to The Hawthorns, which have all resulted in wins for the away side.
Vardy will be a handful this weekend but Bilic’s side is very different from the West Brom that Premier League fans grew used to when Tony Pulis was at the club.
In other West Brom news, Darren Moore has won the race to sign this Baggies forward.
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