Daryl Dike starts as Corberan picks two FA Cup debutants – Confirmed West Brom XI v Aldershot
Carlos Corberan has made eight changes to his West Brom starting XI to face Aldershot Town in the FA Cup third Round on Sunday 7 January.
The Albion boss has handed Daryl Dike his first start of the season and he leads the Baggies’ frontline with young stars Jovan Malcolm and Fenton heard in support with Tom Fellows.
Josh Griffiths starts between the posts with only Kyle Bartley keeping his place in the West Brom backline with Pipa and, Caleb Taylor and Erik Pieteres all starting.
In midfield, Alex Mowatt is partnered by Nathaniel Chalobah with Okay Yokuslu, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Cedric Kipre all dropping to the bench.
Avoid a giant killing
It will be easy for West Brom and Corberan to view this game as a free hit against rubbish opposition that they can just breeze through, but these sorts of FA Cup ties are typically the opposite and represent a genuine opportunity for a potential giant-killing.
The Baggies’ focus this season will obviously be on finishing within the Championship playoff places and while they have to make sure they don’t let that slip, winning is a good habit to get into.
Sunday’s clash in front of a home crowd at The Hawthorns should be nothing more than a regulation performance, even with a few changes to the starting XI, but the Baggies cannot expect to just breeze their way into the third round.
Hopefully, West Brom can come through this clash with their dignity and confidence intact and just as importantly without any more injuries. Corberan’s side has already been decimated by fitness issues this season and Albion can’t afford to pick up any more knocks unnecessarily.
In other West Brom news, Lewis Cox has tipped Corberan to make a “surprise” January addition over the course of the next month