Preview: West Brom vs Blackburn,Championship Gameweek 32

  • FIy999 2025/02/12 03:43
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Aiming to extend their unbeaten run at The Hawthorns to a marvellous 12 matches, West Bromwich Albion will host Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Wednesday night.


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Following Carlos Corberan's decision to depart for La Liga strugglers Valencia on Christmas Eve, West Brom's promotion push looked at real danger of petering out during the second half of the campaign, but a number of shrewd acquisitions on the pitch and the sidelines have given the Black Country outfit a significant boost.


Arguably the most eye-catching arrival of them all over the past month, Southampton striker Adam Armstrong commenced his loan spell at The Hawthorns with an acrobatic opener on Saturday afternoon, when the Baggies required a 96th-minute effort from Jayson Molumby to defeat playoff rivals Sheffield Wednesday.


Collecting maximum points at the expense of the Owls and stretching an unbeaten home run to 11 matches, West Brom are beginning to burrow themselves inside the top-six spots as the Championship campaign approaches its business end, with Wednesday's hosts sitting three points ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough in the standings.


Whilst Josh Maja's injury-impacted hunt for the division's Golden Boot has captured league-wide attention this term, Albion academy graduate Tom Fellows is going about his work somewhat under the radar on the right flank, with the 21-year-old providing a staggering 11 assists so far.


Ever since returning to the Championship following Premier League relegation in 2021, West Brom have been able to maintain a status of second-tier superiority in the Black Country, as is the case in 2024-25, with Tony Mowbray's men losing just one of their 15 league matches at The Hawthorns.


After a lack of backing during the winter transfer market, it is fair to say that the head of Blackburn Rovers' John Eustace has been turned, with Championship strugglers Derby County approaching the head coach as they attempt to recruit a replacement for Paul Warne at Pride Park.


A former player for the Rams and a man with family based in the Midlands, the 45-year-old could depart Ewood Park before the trip to the Black Country on Wednesday night, an eventuality that would leave Rovers without a manager heading into a clash with one of the division's top sides.


Despite losing four of their last five second-tier battles, Blackburn are still occupying sixth spot in the Championship table ahead of this week's outing at The Hawthorns, with the Lancashire-based outfit possessing a single-point advantage over Michael Carrick's Boro after 31 contests.


Looking to inflict a promotion blow on his former employers on Wednesday night, Rovers attacker Andreas Weimann leads his side's goalscoring charts, boasting six league strikes so far in 2024-25, with the Austria international no stranger to the Black Country, having also played for Wolverhampton Wanderers.


West Brom's arch rivals were the opponents for Blackburn during the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon at Ewood Park, where a pair of quickfire goals in the first half from Joao Gomes and talisman Matheus Cunha secured a spot in the last 16 for the Premier League side.


West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

Wildsmith; Furlong, Heggem, Styles, Frabotta; Molumby, Diakite; Fellows, Lankshear, Johnston; Armstrong


Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Brittain, Hyam, Batth, Beck; Travis, Buckley, Dolan, Weimann, Hedges; Gueye

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