Chris Sutton predicts outcome of West Brom FA Cup fourth-round tie v Bristol City
Chris Sutton has predicted home advantage will play a big factor when West Brom travel to Ashton Gate to play Bristol City in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday (28 January)
The Baggies comfortably defeated Chesterfield in the third-round replay following a dramatic 3-3 draw in their first encounter, and now take on their fellow Championship side Bristol City for a spot in the fifth round.
Making his FA Cup predictions for BBC Sport (Thursday 26 January), pundit Sutton predicted that Carlos Corberan’s side would come off second best and narrowly lose the match 2-1.
He said: “West Brom lost at leaders Burnley last week but they are one of the form teams in the Championship and ordinarily I’d make them big favourites here.
“But Baggies boss Carlos Corberan made lots of changes in the last round, when his side needed a replay to get past Chesterfield, and I’m expecting him to do the same again this time.
“Bristol City’s results at Ashton Gate have not exactly been brilliant this season, and West Brom won there in December, but home advantage might help them this time.”
Even match
It would come as no surprise for West Brom to face yet another FA Cup replay, as this match is very evenly matched on paper.
The Robins currently sit 17th in the Championship – eight points off West Brom – but are currently on a four-match unbeaten run, so they definitely pose a threat that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The nagging question many Baggies fans are thinking is, will Corberan chop and change his side or stick with the core of players who have performed brilliantly in recent weeks?
Against Chesterfield, Corberan trusted some fringe players and paid the price – something the Baggies can’t do again. A home league match against Coventry awaits next Friday (3 February), so the players should have plenty of time to recover if the Spaniard decides to play a first-choice team.
Corberan needs to get hard from the first whistle and try to blow their Championship opponents away with an early onslaught.
In other West Brom news, the club have appointed a new scout as part of the backroom staff.