Alex Mowatt doubt after ‘niggle’ – Early West Brom team news
West Brom will have to wait on the fitness of midfielder Alex Mowatt ahead of their Friday night Championship fixture at home to Huddersfield.
The Englishman has a “niggle” that has put his participation in tomorrow’s game at risk but manager Steve Bruce is hopeful he can play a part, as reported by Steve Madeley of The Athletic via his personal Twitter account.
The 27-year-old has been a very regular feature in the Baggies’ side this season after joining from Barnsley last summer along with previous boss Valerien Ismael.
Madeley also reported that Daryl Dike, Albion’s big January signing, is back in full training from today but he won’t feature for Bruce until after the international break later this month.
No problem
Mowatt’s absence might not be the huge worry it would have been earlier in the year after Bruce tried something different against Hull City at the weekend.
The veteran manager opted to play captain Jake Livermore alongside academy graduate Taylor Gardner-Hickman in the centre of midfield and it worked tremendously.
Bruce picked up his first win as Baggies boss, thanks to a Karlan Grant brace, at the MKM Stadium and would surely be mad to change that winning formula he has searched so long for.
Mowatt has his own abilities that can turn a game on its head such as his lethal long shots and calmness under pressure but Livermore and Gardner-Hickman have that too.
When you’ve just won for the first time in half a dozen games, why change anything?
In other West Brom news, club owner Guochuan Lai will jet into the UK before the season ends to watch Albion in action.
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