West Brom starting XI v Sheffield Wednesday: Carlos Corberan to regret Alex Mowatt call
Carlos Corberan may well come to regret his decision to drop Alex Mowatt from the West Brom starting line-up for their clash with Sheffield Wednesday.
The Baggies face their relegation-threatened opponents at Hillsborough with the chance to all but secure their place in the playoffs – a win would ensure they remain at least three points clear of seventh-placed Hull City but with a vastly superior goal difference.
However, Baggies head coach Corberan has made one change to the side that lost 2-1 to Leicester City last time out on 20 April – and it is an unexpected one, with Mowatt dropping out for winger Matt Phillips.
Not the change West Brom fans would have been hoping for
The tweak most had expected Corberan to make was to bring Brandon Thomas-Asante back into the team after his one-match ban.
The striker had been suspended following a sending-off for two bookable offences in quick succession in the 1-0 defeat against Sunderland on 13 April, missing the defeat against the Foxes at the King Power Stadium – but he remains their top scorer in the Championship, with 11 goals.
Instead, it is the reliable Mowatt who drops out in a surprising turn of events. The 29-year-old central midfielder has established himself as a regular fixture in the side – only Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong and Cedric Kipre have played more Championship minutes for the Baggies than his 3,127 across 41 appearances.
To add to the intrigue, Yann M’Vila is handed a second consecutive start for the first time in his short West Brom career, having also featured from the off against Leicester.
Concerned Baggies fans will fear that Corberan is at risk of underestimating Wednesday, who are fighting for survival and are in good form – they are unbeaten in their last four league outings, beating QPR and Blackburn Rovers away from home as well as registering home draws against Norwich City and Stoke City.
Failure to beat the Owls would not be a disaster as such, but the Baggies have claimed just one victory in their last six league games – a 2-0 win over relegated Rotherham United – and would benefit from the chance to generate some momentum and positive form ahead of their likely involvement in the playoffs.
In other West Brom news, David Prutton has made his score prediction for the match with Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.
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