James Morrison axes Daryl Dike in two changes – West Brom predicted XI vs Southampton
James Morrison could drop Daryl Dike from the starting line-up for West Brom’s Championship clash against Southampton at The Hawthorns on Wednesday.
West Brom drew 1-1 against Sheffield United on Saturday, with George Campbell scoring at both ends to secure a much-needed point.
The Baggies are just one point clear of the relegation zone, and they simply can’t afford to drop points at The Hawthorns to a Southampton side that have just qualified for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup by knocking out Fulham.
James Morrison‘s side haven’t won a league game in 2026, and he’s acutely aware of the threat of relegation.
This means he’ll surely make a couple of changes to the team that left Bramall Lane with a point, and Dike’s place in the team is now at risk.
Josh Maja to replace Daryl Dike in two changes
The USA international made his first start of the season against Swansea in the FA Cup third-round win on 11 January, and he looked incredibly rusty up front.
Dike has since featured in the occasional game, but it’s clear to everyone that he isn’t up to the standards required to be in the starting line-up.
Against Sheffield United, he registered an xG of 0.08, which is frankly abysmal for a striker at any level.
| Stat | Dike |
| Appearances | 58 |
| Goals | 9 |
| Assists | 2 |
As a result, Josh Maja could come back into the team, and it won’t be hard for him to have a bigger impact on Wednesday’s match than Dike did on Saturday.
The other change could see Charlie Taylor replace Krystian Bielik at left centre-back.
The Polish defender was substituted for Taylor at half-time against Sheffield United, and Morrison might look to start the 32-year-old on this occasion.
The rest of the team should remain the same, and Ollie Bostock will be hoping to score his first senior goal at The Hawthorns.
Why Ollie Bostock is West Brom’s best hope of avoiding relegation
The 19-year-old scored the winning penalty in West Brom’s FA Cup third-round penalty shootout win over Swansea in January, and fans have been calling for him to start ever since.
Morrison brought Bostock on for Mikey Johnston against Oxford United in February, and it’s safe to say he made an impact, scoring a long-range strike to drag the Baggies back into the match.
He was impressive on the left wing and sent out a message to his head coach that he should be one of the first names on the team sheet, which then resulted in his first start on Saturday.
Despite looking ineffective at Bramall Lane, Bostock gives West Brom some attacking threat out wide, and he is definitely their most dangerous asset.
If the Baggies do avoid relegation, he’ll undoubtedly play a huge part, and he can start giving the fans hope by producing an exciting performance on Wednesday.
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