Aune Heggebo makes debut, as Mason makes big call in goal – West Brom predicted XI vs Blackburn
West Brom are set to make their return to Championship action on Saturday when they welcome Blackburn Rovers.
The Baggies will be hoping to mount a genuine push for promotion under Ryan Mason, as the new boss begins to take his first steps in senior management.
Pre-season hasn’t passed without issues and concerns, but after a 3-2 victory over La Liga side Rayo Vallecano last week, it feels as though the B71 outfit are now well-prepared to hit the ground running in competitive action.
With that in mind, West Brom News predicts the starting XI for the opening clash of the league campaign.
Heggebo leads the line as Mason opts for Josh Griffiths in goal
There has been plenty of excitement surrounding Aune Heggebo since his arrival at West Brom.
The West Midlands side parted with a cool fee of £4.75million in order to secure the Norwegian’s services, and he has shown glimpses in pre-season of the power and threat that he could bring to the frontline.
The Hawthorns faithful are set to get another early look at their new star, with the boss likely to select Heggebo to lead the line for the visit of Blackburn.
Mason’s other big call for his first competitive team selection comes in goal.
There has been plenty of talk surrounding Josh Griffiths in the last few months, and the youngster made a costly mistake in his side’s final friendly.
- Griffiths impressed on loan at Bristol Rovers last season in League One
- He has now been a regular feature for West Brom in pre-season
- Mason may opt to stick with the youngster despite his error last week
However, Mason could well make a show of faith to the 23-year-old by handing him the gloves once again for the upcoming clash.
Elsewhere in the side, it is anticipated that the starting lineup will resemble the one which took on Vallecano, although it feels like an inevitability that Isaac Price will come in from the start.
West Brom need to get off to a good start
Mason’s time at West Brom could live or die by the start that the team makes, and that means there is a huge amount of importance tied to the opening few months of the campaign.
There has been frustration at some of the results in pre-season, and a win on the opening day of the league season would go a long way towards easing some of the nerves and concerns that have set in recently.
While no game in the Championship is ever easy, the Baggies arguably have a favourable start, and that could be vital to help Mason settle into his role and get some confidence flowing through the squad.
West Brom will have big aspirations for 2025/26, and the last thing they will want is to begin nine testing months with a result that puts them on the back foot.
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