Nick Ware

Sat 2 January 2021 12:18, UK

After a 5-0 thrashing to Leeds United capped a miserable end to 2020, West Brom will be eager to start the new year in better form, and the return of the influential Matheus Pereira could help them achieve that.

The Baggies face Arsenal at the Hawthorns on Saturday evening determined to gain a positive result that will help to give them a glimmer of hope in their survival bid, as they currently sit in 19th, five points away from Premier League safety.

While Sam Allardyce will remain without a number of key first-team players, he is expected to give a recall to Pereira, who has not started a match since his sending off against Crystal Palace on December 6.

We are predicting just the one change to the starting XI that faced Leeds on December 29.

After picking up a thigh injury in the warm-up and subsequently missing the Leeds game, Kieran Gibbs is a serious doubt for the match against his former side, with West Brom’s other senior left back Conor Townsend also still missing through injury.

That means 34-year-old Lee Peltier, who made his first Premier League start of the season against Leeds, will be expected to deputise once again in an unfamiliar position.

Allardyce could turn to left-footed Cedric Kipre, who has played that position for Wigan in the past, but with zero top-flight experience it seems unlikely the Baggies boss will throw him in at the deep end against the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka.

Branislav Ivanovic is also an option for Allardyce, especially if he chooses to go with three centre backs.

However, given the lack of natural width on the left hand side, that might be a route he decides to go down when Gibbs or Townsend return.

That means a back four consisting of Darnell Furlong, Semi Ajayi, Dara O’Shea and Peltier, in front of shot-stopper Sam Johnstone.

With captain Jake Livermore serving the final game of his three-match suspension, Romaine Sawyers looks set to keep his place at the base of midfield, despite his own-goal against Leeds and lack of form this season.

Conor Gallagher and Matt Phillips are likely to retain their positions ahead of Sawyers, with Filip Krovinovic the only other senior option to replace either of the duo.

Callum Robinson completed only his second 90 minutes of the season against Leeds on Tuesday, and his first since a 5-2 defat to Everton on September 19, and should start against Arsenal.

On the other side, however, the writing could be on the wall for 22-year-old Grady Diangana, with a series of ineffectual displays in the side causing real concerns for his starting role.

After coming off the bench against Liverpool and Leeds, the stage looks set for Pereira to start against Arsenal and reassert himself back as a crucial player in this West Brom team.

Against an Arsenal side who are expected to have most of the possession, the running abilities of Karlan Grant should see him selected ahead of Charlie Austin again up front.

Allardyce will hope the presence of Pereira will be enough to inspire the Baggies to an unlikely result against a team on the up, with Arsenal resurgent following two consecutive wins against Brighton and Chelsea.

In other West Brom news, key midfielder set to be missing for Arsenal in Baggies clash.

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