Heggem at centre-back: West Brom team news and predicted XI to face Luton Town.
Heggem at centre-back: West Brom team news and predicted XI to face Luton Town.
West Brom are back in Championship action tonight as they face Rob Edwards’ Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.
West Brom come into their clash with Luton Town looking to avoid a seventh game without a win amid a real dip in form from Carlos Corberan’s side.
After a fine start, the Baggies are six without a win in the Championship and have drawn all of the last four games. They still occupy a respectable 5th, but they’re at risk of losing early ground on automatic promotion hopefuls.
Having sat a fair distance away from those spots for the vast majority of last season, it’s a fate Corberan and co will be out to avoid this time as they push to return to the Premier League.
They face a Luton Town side enduring a dismal return to Championship football. After dropping from the top-flight, Rob Edwards’ men are all the way down in 22nd with just 11 points to their name after 12 games.
West Brom team news
Things have gone from bad to worse on the injury front for West Brom.
Kyle Bartley was already on the sidelines and is not expected to return for six weeks but he has now been joined there by Semi Ajayi and Paddy McNair, leaving Corberan without three centre-backs.
west brom, Heggem at centre-back: West Brom team news and predicted XI to face Luton Town
Image courtesy of: SIPHIWE SIBEKO/REUTERS.
Ajayi and McNair are out for four and two months respectively in a huge blow for the Baggies.
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Not only that, but after initially believing it not to be a serious problem, the hamstring niggle Daryl Dike picked up in his comeback from an achilles injury means he will not make his return until after Christmas. It presents a huge blow for the American so close to his return to action.
After some poor results, there could be scope to change the West Brom setup in a minor way.
At the back, it seems Torbjorn Heggem will slot in at centre-back having played there extensively and Mason Holgate will come in alongside him. That’s not a bad partnership given the injury problems at The Hawthorns.
Callum Styles will likely come in at left-back but Gianluca Frabotta is an option too.
In midfield, taking out an attacking midfielder – a role that has been occupied by John Swift and Grady Diangana – could be beneficial. A midfield three of Jayson Molumby, Alex Mowatt and Uros Racic offers a well-balanced trio.
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Going forward, Mikey Johnston’s struggle to rediscover his best could be see Karlan Grant reintroduced. Tom Fellows should regain his starting berth while Josh Maja remains up top.
