West Brom vs. Derby County – ‘New’ kick-off time, prediction, team news, lineups
With their playoff push all-but over, West Bromwich Albion will welcome relegation-threatened Derby County to The Hawthorns for a Championship clash on Easter Monday.
The Baggies suffered a sobering defeat at the CBS Arena to Coventry City last time out, whilst the Rams were bested by Luton Town during a relegation six-pointer in the East Midlands.
Match preview
Back in January following his appointment as manager, Tony Mowbray promised that he would “take the handbrake off” a talented West Brom squad in a bid for a fairytale return to the Premier League – 17 years after the 61-year-old clinched the Championship title with the Black Country club.
However, after a fourth loss in the last five second-tier matches, it is the wheels that have fallen off the Baggies’ playoff dreams, with goals either side of the half-time whistle from Jack Rudoni and Matt Grimes sentencing the visitors to a damaging defeat at Coventry on Good Friday.
Collecting a mere three points across their last five second-tier battles, Mowbray’s troops have slumped down to eighth position in the Championship standings ahead of Monday’s meeting with Derby, six points away from the sixth-placed Sky Blues with only nine points left to fight for.
Although a top-six placement appears extremely unlikely at this stage, the Baggies have theoretically-favourable fixtures remaining as they look to salvage their campaign, with West Brom facing strugglers Derby, Cardiff City and Luton before the conclusion of the regular season.
The Baggies will be desperate for out-of-form loanee Adam Armstrong to find the net at The Hawthorns, where Monday’s visitors have conceded just 14 times across 21 Championship matches this term, with only Burnley (6) and league-leading Leeds United (12) allowing fewer goals at their respective bases.
Following an exceptional run of four straight victories between the start of March and April, it appeared as if John Eustace’s Derby would be waving goodbye to the Championship relegation dogfight, but the East Midlanders have been dragged back into the scrap over the past fortnight.
The relegation-threatened Rams extended their winless streak in the second tier to a highly-concerning four matches on Good Friday, when a first-half effort from Irishman Millenic Alli was enough to secure maximum points for fellow strugglers Luton in front of 32,000 supporters at Pride Park.
Earning just two points from their most recent quartet of Championship clashes, Derby are sat precariously in 21st position in the second-tier standings ahead of a cross-county trip to The Hawthorns on Monday, level on points with the Hatters and one above Cardiff in 22nd and 23rd respectively.
Not unusual for a side promoted from League One during the previous season, the Rams have suffered plenty of defeats on the road in the Championship this term, collecting a mere 12 points across 21 league outings – only Miron Muslic’s Plymouth Argyle (9) have won fewer points on their travels.
With second-tier safety on the line, Derby will take confidence from their good recent record against West Brom’s, with the Rams winning each of the last three competitive battles with the Baggies, although the East Midlands side have not returned victorious from The Hawthorns since October 2018.
West Bromwich Albion Championship form:
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Derby County Championship form:
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Team News
Earning a straight red card during the second half of the Coventry defeat, West Brom defender Callum Styles will join the already-suspended Jayson Molumby on the naughty step this Easter Monday.
Replaced at half time in the East Midlands, Tottenham Hotspur loanee Will Lankshear could drop out of the starting XI, making room for Armstrong at the focal point of attack.
Yet to start a match since his long-awaited return from an Achilles injury, Daryl Dike will be desperate to showcase his talents at The Hawthorns.
Derby’s fitness woes worsened during the opening stages of the Luton defeat, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing suffering a nasty-looking eye issue.
The Rams are battling on without the services of first-choice goalkeeper Jacob Zetterstrom, who is sidelined for the remainder of the term owing to a head injury.
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Furlong, Bartley, Holgate, Heggem; Mowatt, Diakite; Fellows, Grant, Johnston; Armstrong
Derby County possible starting lineup:
Vickers; Langas, Phillips, Clarke; Wilson, Armstrong, Adams, Forsyth; Jackson, Harness, Yates
We say: West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Derby County
Requiring victory to boost their survival chances, Derby will be full of energy and hopeful of extending their winning run against West Brom to four games.
The Baggies’ season has all-but petered out following Friday’s Coventry catastrophe, and we are expecting another limp display from Albion on Easter Monday.
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