West Brom exclusive: Kyle Bartley set to miss a month in major Tony Mowbray blow
West Brom face being without key defender Kyle Bartley for the next month in a major blow for Tony Mowbray.
The Baggies are well positioned in their bid to earn promotion back to the Premier League as they sit fifth in the Championship with 31 matches played.
Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday was a massive result for the Baggies, but it did come at a cost.
Kyle Bartley sent off in moment of madness v Sheffield Wednesday
As the West Brom supporters inside The Hawthorns celebrated three huge points, Bartley for some reason or other decided to sour those celebrations.
The experienced centre-back raised his arm into the face of Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Svante Ingelsson, earning himself a red card in the process.
That led to pundit Luke Chambers slamming Bartley for his part in the “absolutely ridiculous” incident, which brings with it an automatic three-match ban.
However, former West Brom employee Pat Frost suggested that suspension could be extended beyond the regulatory three games due to the nature of the act.
And ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett – speaking exclusively to West Brom News – agrees with that verdict.
“I expect West Brom player Bartley to be suspended longer than the usual three matches,” Hackett said.
West Brom fixtures Kyle Bartley could miss
Bartley will miss Albion’s games against Blackburn Rovers, Millwall and Oxford United as a result of his needless red card.
If the suspension is extended to four games, he will also sit out West Brom‘s trip to Leeds United early next month.
The Baggies’ next game after that is a home match against Queens Park Rangers on 8 March, so Bartley could miss a month of action at a pivotal point in the campaign.
Mowbray may potentially have to use round pegs in square holes in the coming weeks, all because of Bartley’s head loss.
Whether it is three games, four or five Bartley misses, he has plenty of time to reflect on what he did against Sheffield Wednesday.
He will just hope Albion are still positioned in the playoff places by the time he returns to action.