Taylor Gardner-Hickman to start at right-back, Okay Yokuslu full debut – West Brom predicted XI vs Cardiff City
West Brom host Cardiff City at The Hawthorns on Wednesday looking for their first win of the Championship season, with Steve Bruce having some decisions to make.
The Baggies suffered the first defeat of the season with a 2-1 defeat to Blackburn at the weekend, but turned in another good performance where the lack of a striker was evident.
Now Bruce must decide what changes, if any, should be made to the team as they look to pick up their first three points of the campaign.
In goal David Button will start after cementing himself as the number one goalkeeper at the club following Sam Johnstone’s exit at the start of the summer.
Semi Ajayi and Dara O’Shea have established themselves as Bruce’s first-choice centre-back partnership too, with Kyle Bartley warming the bench for the majority of the season so far.
That’s likely to continue here, with a perfect balance of ability on the ball, aerial dominance, physical presence and speed giving the team a great base to build from in games.
Conor Townsend is the most senior left-back at the club and his form has been good so far too so he will start, but Darnell Furlong struggled against Blackburn and that could open the door for youngster Taylor Gardner-Hickman to get his first league start of the season.
Captain Jake Livermore will continue to start in a holding role in midfield, but could be joined by summer signing Okay Yokuslu ahead of Jayson Molumby at the base of the side.
The Turkish midfielder is building up his fitness but Bruce has admitted he can play more part in the coming fixtures and that could see him getting a first start.
Further forward in attack Jed Wallace and John Swift have been excellent additions since their free transfer arrivals during the summer window from Millwall and Reading respectively.
Both had an off game against Blackburn, but they should keep their place in the side as should Grady Diangana who opened his goal account for the season and was the best Baggies player on the pitch.
Daryl Dike is out for two months with a thigh injury, and while Karlan Grant picked up a back injury in the cup win over Sheffield United he still played against Blackburn.
He struggled in the game, but with very few options to choose from he is likely to start as the number nine once again ahead of youngster Reyes Cleary.
West Brom predicted XI vs Cardiff: Button; Gardner-Hickman, O’Shea, Ajayi, Townsend; Yokuslu, Livermore; Wallace, Swift, Diangana; Grant
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