Tony Mowbray ‘could make Semi Ajayi call’ as West Brom player faces month out
Tony Mowbray currently has a dearth of options at his disposal in the West Brom defence, but could soon welcome back a key man.
Having lost Mason Holgate to illness before Albion’s last match – a last-gasp 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday – Mowbray lost another centre-back right at the end of it, after Kyle Bartley’s red card.
A brain explosion of the highest order from the Albion captain saw him receive a straight red for a blatant elbow amid a fracas just before the final whistle, and Bartley could face a month out of action.
It remains to be seen if Holgate will be passed fit to partner Torbjorn Heggem in defence for the Baggies’ match with Blackburn on Wednesday, but one centre-back could soon be on his way back into the side.
Semi Ajayi makes West Brom return in Under-21s match
Having not featured for West Brom since their draw with Cardiff, Semi Ajayi was back out on the grass for their U21s against Newcastle on Monday, playing a “pre-agreed” 45 minutes [Express and Star, 11 February].
Ajayi’s hamstring injury suffered against Cardiff was expected to keep him out for 16 weeks, and the Nigerian international is on schedule to complete his return to fill fitness in the coming days.
Although 45 minutes in a youth team fixture – which also featured fellow returnee Daryl Dike – doesn’t mean Ajayi should be thrown straight into the starting XI, Mowbray is hardly spoilt for choice at present.
Kyle Bartley ban to force Tony Mowbray’s hand at West Brom
Bartley and Ajayi formed a rock-solid, watertight and league-leading centre-back partnership in the opening weeks of the season, but Albion fans will feel like it’s light years since the pair played together.
While Ajayi had been an ever present prior to picking up that hamstring issue in a disappointing display against Cardiff, Bartley has been in and out of the team with several more minor injury troubles.
The captain finally being back in the starting XI last time out was expected to be a watershed moment for Albion’s defence, stepping in for Holgate after some shaky performances from the Everton loanee.
Ajayi, therefore, may well be thrown at the deep end with both Holgate and Bartley potentially unavailable – the latter perhaps until mid-March – and given Mowbray was in attendance for his and Dike’s cameos against Newcastle, he’ll hope he’s seen enough for the 31-year-old to make his long-awaited return.