Mowbray axes Wildsmith in five changes – West Brom predicted XI v Hull City
Tony Mowbray could be set to make wholesale changes to his West Brom side when they face Hull City at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
West Brom picked up an impressive point on the road at Burnley last time out, holding the automatic promotion-chasing Clarets to a 1-1 draw after John Swift’s first-half free-kick at Turf Moor.
Burnley did manage to equalise just three minutes after Swift’s strike thanks to a blunder from Joe Wildsmith, but Albion held out to secure a point which moves them up to fifth in the Championship table.
West Brom’s Turf Moor draw extends a five-match unbeaten run to boost their play-off push, and facing a Hull side sat two points clear of the bottom three, Mowbray will be looking to get back to winning ways.
Wildsmith withdrawn as Mowbray swings axe for West Brom v Hull
Albion looked to be onto a winner when Swift gave them a 20th-minute lead at Turf Moor, only for his goalkeeper Wildsmith to spill a shot straight into the path of Zian Flemming, who pounced to equalise.
| Burnley | Statistic | West Brom |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 1.50 | xG | 0.65 |
| 2 / 8 | Shots on Target | 3 / 7 |
| 60% | Possession | 40% |
| 6 | Corners | 2 |
As a result, and after a series of errors since becoming West Brom’s first-choice goalkeeper, Mowbray could and should bring Wildsmith out the firing line as he welcomes several players back into the side.
Mowbray switched things up with a 3-4-3 formation looking to contain Burnley, and while this setup could become a regular one for the 61-year-old, several personnel changes are also expected outfield.
Mason Holgate, Alex Mowatt, Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana were all solid if not spectacular against the Clarets, but with a number of key players set to return, Mowbray drop all four to the bench for Hull.
Kyle Bartley back as Adam Armstrong retained v Hull
With Kyle Bartley facing another game on the sidelines with a swollen knee at Turf Moor, Ousmane Diakite stood tall as a makeshift centre-back in the middle of Albion’s three-man defence on Tuesday.
As a result, the Malian could be set to stay put in the Baggies’ back three alongside Bartley and Torbjorn Heggem, with Callum Styles, Isaac Price and goalscorer Swift all remaining in a dynamic, fluid midfield.
Jayson Molumby, rested at Burnley in order to avoid picking up a suspension for 10 yellow cards, will surely come back into the side against Hull, giving Mowbray the chance to award Mowatt a rare rest.
Tom Fellows missed Tuesday’s match altogether after a family bereavement and Mikey Johnston came off the bench in the second half, but they’re both likely to return to the XI in place of Grant and Diangana.
Adam Armstrong was well below his usual standards against Burnley, but with the Southampton loanee still being Albion’s most reliable source of goals, it’s unlikely Mowbray will move Grant, Will Lankshear, Devante Cole or Daryl Dike into the number nine role ahead of him.