West Brom v Cardiff City: Team news, head-to-head, betting odds, lineups, prediction
Carlos Corberan will be desperate to return to winning ways when his West Brom side host Cardiff City in the Championship on Saturday (26 October).
The Baggies recorded their third consecutive draw on Wednesday (23 October) when playing out a stalemate with Blackburn Rovers and risk falling off the pace in the race for automatic promotion if they fail to beat in-form Cardiff.
Preview
West Brom have suffered a big drop in form in recent weeks, starting with the 3-2 loss against Sheffield Wednesday at the end of September.
The goals have dried up at The Hawthorns – the side has only scored twice in the last four outings, with the club’s top goalscorer Josh Maja failing to find the back of the net on any of those occasions.
A home game against a Cardiff side lingering in the bottom echelons of the Championship table in 20th place is a good opportunity for Corberan to inject some life into his underperforming players and salvage an bad turn of form.
However, Albion were expected to mop up newly promoted Oxford United but had the three points snatched away in the dying embers of the match at the Kassam Stadium as Dane Scarlett salvaged a point for the hosts with a 92nd-minute equaliser.
For Cardiff, eight points and sixteen league positions separate the sides heading into the clash this weekend, but interim boss Omer Riza has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence in recent weeks, with his side on a four-match unbeaten streak.
On paper, the Baggies are by far the stronger of the two sides but based on recent form, Cardiff will be heading to The Hawthorns fancying their chances of returning to Wales with all three points.
Form Guide [Championship]
West Brom: DDDLL
Cardiff City: WWDWL
Head-to-Head [all competitions]
West Brom 2-0 Cardiff City [13 February, 2024]
Cardiff City 0-1 West Brom [28 November, 2023]
Cardiff City 1-1 West Brom [15 March, 2023]
West Brom 0-0 Cardiff City [17 August, 2022]
West Brom 1-1 Cardiff City [2 January, 2022]
Team News
Albion will continue to monitor Mason Holgate heading into the match at the weekend, but the Everton loanee is set to be absent again after missing the draw at Ewood Park.
Corberan will still be without Daryl Dike as he continues his rehabilitation from a long-term injury, though Baggies fans will be thrilled to learn the American is nearing his return to first-team training.
Kyle Bartley also missed out midweek with a suspected injury concern but should be available for the weekend leaving Corberan with a selection dilemma on whether to start the centre-back over Paddy McNair.
For Cardiff, Riza will still be without Aaron Ramsey who is expected to be sidelined until after the November international break.
The Bluebirds are also running thin in the attacking department – Cian Ashford and Kion Etete are unavailable to feature with the pair suffering from leg injuries.
Predicted lineups
West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, McNair, Ajayi, Heggem, Molumby, Mowatt, Fellows, Swift, Johnston, Maja
Cardiff City: Alnwick, Ng, Goutas, Chambers, O’Dowda, Robertson, Turnbull, Tanner, Colwill, El-Ghazi, Robinson
Betting odds
West Brom win: 8/13
Draw: 13/5
Cardiff City win: 17/4
Prediction: West Brom 1-2 Cardiff City
While the Baggies, on paper, should return to winning ways against Cardiff, the visitors’ exceptional form in recent weeks will play a huge factor in determining a winner at The Hawthorns.
Riza has been incredible throughout his interim tenure, taking 10 points from the 12 available since assuming charge. The Welsh side look reinvigorated under his stewardship, which is the opposite of the mood around the Albion fanbase right now – even if the Baggies are still well positioned.
Corberan will undoubtedly turn around his side’s poor form in the Championship, but it may well be that Albion take another step back before moving forward as they face a team flying under the new management.
Albion will be expected to lean on the depth of the squad to provide answers on the pitch, but will desperately need their underperforming stars to step up this weekend..
In other West Brom news, the Baggies are assessing a deal for Tom Cannon ahead of a potential January transfer.
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