Reyes Cleary and Taylor Gardner-Hickman to start – West Brom predicted XI vs Blackburn Rovers
West Brom look to continue their great start to the season when they travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers on Sunday afternoon.
The Baggies opened the Championship campaign with 1-1 draws against Middlesbrough and Watford, but progressed to the 2nd round of the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 win over Sheffield United on Thursday night.
But with big problems in the striker position currently and games coming thick and fast, Steve Bruce has some decisions to make for his starting lineup.
In goal Alex Palmer was given the nod in the Carabao Cup, but David Button is the number one this season and will return between the sticks for the league games.
The back four is likely to revert to its usual image, with Dara O’Shea starting alongside Semi Ajayi in the centre while Darnell Furlong and Conor Townsend come back into the side as the full-backs on the right and left respectively.
Into midfield and captain Jake Livermore should come back into the team after being rested against Sheffield United, with Okay Yokuslu still building up his fitness with a 61 minute run out against the Blades.
Alongside him Bruce has opted for Jayson Molumby so far this season, but the progressive passing of Taylor Gardner-Hickman has been missed from the deeper positions and the youngster could come into the side.
The academy graduate started at right-back in midweek, but his best performances last season came in midfield and it’s something that the boss could look to add to the squad in the absence of a first-team striker.
Ahead of them in the attacking midfield positions, the side seemed to find the perfect balance against Watford in a game they were very unlucky not to win.
Jed Wallace was excellent on the right wing and is likely to continue in that role once again, while fellow summer signing John Swift will come back into the team as the number ten following his good start to his Baggies career.
On the left Grady Diangana was back to his flying best in that game and his goal threat along with his creativity means he should start to help increase the threat of the attack.
Daryl Dike has been ruled out for two months with a thigh injury in a huge blow, and Grant picked up an injury just minutes after coming on and scoring the winner against Sheffield United.
It’s expected that last season’s top scorer won’t be available on Sunday due to the back problem he picked up, and with Kenneth Zohore also injured again that leaves no first-team strikers available.
That should see academy starlet Reyes Cleary given another chance to lead the line after making his first start for the first-team in midweek.
Predicted West Brom XI vs Blackburn: Button; Furlong, O’Shea, Ajayi, Townsend; Livermore, Gardner-Hickman; Wallace, Swift, Diangana; Cleary
In other West Brom news, Daryl Dike has been ruled out for two months with a thigh injury