Semi Ajayi returns to replace injured Erik Pieters – West Brom predicted XI v Hull City
West Brom will be looking to close a six-point gap to the Sky Bet Championship playoff places when they take on Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Friday night [3 March].
The Baggies stormed to an impressive 2-0 win over automatic promotion chasers Middlesbrough last weekend, recording their first win in four league games and keeping up the tremendous home form under Carlos Corberan.
The win now sees the Albion stay just six points clear of the top six, and a win on Friday could be crucial to their hopes of ultimately securing a playoff spot – which seemed impossible before the Spaniard took the reins.
After Saturday’s crucial win, Corberan may well be tempted to keep the same team which started the game at The Hawthorns on Friday.
However, the Spaniard does have an injury issue to contend with. Key defender Erik Pieters picked up a knee issue against Middlesbrough [BirminghamLive], which could see the reliable Semi Ajayi come in to replace him in the centre of the defence.
Apart from that one change, the defence should pick itself with Townsend, Dara O’Shea and Darnell Furlong continuing their impressive and stable partnership at the back, in front of young goalkeeper Josh Griffiths who showed a good and safe pair of hands against Boro on Saturday.
The midfield should also pick itself with Molumby and Yokuslu also forming a terrific pairing at the centre of the pick, and Corberan could be deemed silly to shift any sort of momentum by changing what’s been a tried and trusted duo in the centre of the park.
Two-goal hero against Middlesbrough, Daryl Dike proved his worth to Corberan once again up front, with a superb no.9 showing. Corberan has tended to rotate between Dike and Thomas-Asante in recent weeks but after the USA international’s performance against Boro, he’s a certainty to start on Friday.
Corberan will have a major decision to make behind him though.
Whilst the club’s most creative outlets John Swift and Jed Wallace should continue behind the central striker, the Spaniard will be concerned about the form of Grady Diangana who has struggled to impose himself in recent weeks, which means Albrighton may start in his place.
However, the on-loan Leicester City man has struggled himself since his move last month, so Diangana may well be handed another chance to impress.
In other West Brom news, Carlos Corberan tells his strikers what they must do to keep their place in his starting XI.