West Brom relegation round-up: Next three games and what to expect in Championship fight
West Brom somehow find themselves in a fierce battle for Championship survival.
The Baggies sit 20th in the standings with 14 games to go, while Portsmouth, behind them carry two games in hand.
Eric Ramsay is still searching for his first win at the helm, after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup via a 3-1 loss against Norwich.
Though league form has improved slightly, with successive 0-0 draws against Stoke and Birmingham.
West Brom welcome league leaders Coventry City to The Hawthorns on Saturday, before big clashes against others down the bottom end in Charlton and Oxford.
With the respective futures of multiple clubs hanging in the balance, West Brom News takes a look at everything you need to know ahead of Albion’s next three matches.
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It has been a torrid year for the Baggies.
Following the sacking of Ryan Mason after the turn of the year, the predicament has continued to worsen in the Black Country, leaving Ramsay’s side hovering above the relegation zone.
And things don’t get any easier either, with Coventry preparing to make the relatively short trip to The Hawthorns on Saturday.
The Sky Blues reclaimed their spot at the top of the Championship with a 3-1 win against rivals Middlesbrough on Monday, bringing an end to a three-match winless run for Frank Lampard’s side.
Back at the top and looking to restart the excellent form of 2025, Coventry will be in high spirits as they take on their fellow Midlanders.
West Brom’s next three matches:
- Coventry City – Saturday 21st Feb (H)
- Charlton Athletic – Tuesday 24th Feb (H)
- Oxford United – Saturday 28th Feb (A)
Should the Baggies fail to pick up any points against the pace setters, the pressure is on to take all three against a resurgent Charlton, who have increased their gap to the bottom three to seven points after a recent run of good form under Nathan Jones.
Albion then take on Oxford United, who are locked in the ongoing battle with West Brom, with the match at the Kassam Stadium arguably the first that Ramsay’s side will be strong favourites to claim all three points since his arrival.
It would be unfair to expect a result against Coventry, but failure to do so leaves the pressure piled on top of Albion heading into the next two.
Fixtures elsewhere could provide respite for West Brom
As is the case for Albion, fixtures elsewhere do not get any easier for their relegation rivals.
Having to play out their rescheduled games in hand, Portsmouth have the chance to leapfrog the Baggies as they travel to Charlton on Tuesday, with a win for either side impacting West Brom’s survival hopes.
But the coming matches could offer some momentary respite for Ramsay, with fixtures against play-off chasing Millwall, Wrexham and Hull City – all of whom are expected to take points in their ongoing promotion fight.
The same can be said for Blackburn, who host local rivals Preston at Ewood Park this week, before facing Bristol City and Derby, who also find themselves in the play-off hunt.
And the side facing the toughest run of all is undoubtedly Leicester.
The Foxes were deducted six points earlier this month, throwing them directly into the fire as their seven-match unbeaten run continues across all competitions.
They face Stoke, Middlesbrough and Norwich in their next three, with an away clash against Ipswich the following week to make things even more difficult for the currently managerless side, who have struggled since their relegation from the Premier League last May.
However, Albion don’t want to be in a position where they are reliant on results elsewhere. But heading into the next three, the pressure remains firmly applied on the heads of every member of the current squad, and the still winless Ramsay.
For more on West Brom, keep an eye on Football Insider for the latest updates and insights.