West Brom vs Rotherham predicted XI: Barney Stewart in as Isaac Price benched

West Bromwich Albion get their 2026-27 competitive action started in the Carabao Cup this Saturday.

Pre-season friendlies are done, and proper, meaningful football is back on the West Brom menu.

James Morrison's side begin their League Cup campaign away at Rotherham United in a 5:30pm kick-off on Saturday.

The last time Rotherham and West Brom met was in April 2024, when the Baggies ran out 2-0 winners at The Hawthorns in the Championship.

Albion have been superb in pre-season, and will be fully confident of having too much for the League Two side this weekend.

So, ahead of this one, West Brom News attempts to predict how Morrison will line his team up at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

James Morrison rejigs West Brom backline vs Rotherham

Given Morrison is yet to take charge of a cup match as West Brom boss, it remains to be seen how much value he places on trying to enjoy a deep run in the competition.

Typically, managers will field heavily rotated teams in the League Cup, especially in those earlier rounds, and that's what we're expecting Morrison to do against Rotherham.

In goal, Matt Ingram should replace Max O'Leary between the sticks, with the 32-year-old new signing set to be the backup goalkeeper this summer.

At right-back, Nolan Galves should keep his place after making his Baggies debut against Peterbrough, as Morrison looks to keep bedding in his new addition.

Over on the left, veteran Conor Townsend may start in place of Callum Styles, as keeping the 33-year-old match fit is important ahead of his presumed backup role this season.

As for the centre-back pairing, we're backing Morrison to go with Krystian Bielik and Chris Mepham, both of whom could do with extra minutes in the legs.

Now moving over to midfield, will Morrison go more full strength here, or will youth continue to rule the his team selection?

Ollie Bostock to start on the West Brom wing

Starting in central midfield, Morrison doesn't have too many youth candidates to choose from here, so Albion's engine room should have a senior feel to it.

Jayson Molumby and Ousmane Diakite is how we're expecting the Baggies to look like in the middle, providing an experienced core for the younger players around them to express themselves around.

On the left, this feels like an opportune chance to rest Isaac Price, and that should open the door for 19-year-old Ollie Bostock to earn a starting opportunity in South Yorkshire.

Opposite him, fellow academy prospect Harry Whitwell has been one of the shining stars of Albion's pre-season, and should again be rewarded with a place in the starting XI down the right.

That just leaves the two striker spots to fill, and Morrison will have a difficult time deciding which player to disappoint.

West Brom strikers all deserve to start vs Rotherham

If there's been one position in particular for West Brom that's seen the most impressive performances arise from in pre-season, it's been at the striker spot.

Morrison's 4-4-2 has allowed Aune Heggebo and Jimmy-Jay Morgan to largely operate as the chosen front two, and both have been in fine goalscoring form.

However, new signing Barney Stewart also found the net this summer against Bromley and Peterborough respectively, but may start the season as the number three striker behind the aforementioned two.

As such, Rotherham feels like a natural chance for Morrison to get him more starting minutes in the tank, and it's perhaps more likely that Morgan will play alongside him over Heggebo with Norwich in mind on 15 August.