View: Pereira to start as Allardyce faces big decision – West Brom predicted XI v Liverpool
West Brom manager Sam Allardyce will be forced into making at least one change to his starting line-up for the trip to Liverpool on Sunday.
Albion will have Matheus Pereira available for selection after he served a three-match ban for the harsh red card he received against Crystal Palace earlier this month. However, as one suspension starts, another begins with Jake Livermore banned for his sending off in the defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend.
Pereira’s return to availability and Livermore’s suspension means that we predict Allardyce will make just one change to his team this week and that is to hand Pereira, 24, a spot back in the side with Livermore, 31, missing out.
Sam Johnstone is predicted to start in goals behind a back-four of Darnell Furlong, Semi Ajayi, Dara O’Shea and Kieran Gibbs. Slaven Bilic regularly changed to a back-five in matches against top sides like this but due to the back-four coping well at Manchester City, we believe Allardyce will stick with the same defence he named against Villa despite their woeful display.
In the midfield, Romaine Sawyers and Conor Gallagher could start in the central roles with Pereira ahead of them in the more attacking midfield position. Matt Phillips has started to start more regularly as of late so he could start on the right with Grady Diangana on the left.
Karlan Grant is likely to get the nod to start again up front. West Brom were woeful against Aston Villa last week, registering a shockingly poor xG of just 0.02. While many would expect Allardyce to ring the changes after a performance like that, it is hard to see which players who didn’t start would make an impact.
Callum Robinson, Filip Krovinovic and Charlie Austin are among those who might stand a chance of breaking into Big Sam’s side but as he’s still early into his spell as Baggies manager, the new boss could decidice to find a bit of consistency before chopping and changing.
In other West Brom news, Albion have been tipped to sign three new players in the January transfer window.
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