Championship | Gameweek 12

Oct 26, 2024 at 3pm UK

The Hawthorns

West Brom vs Cardiff

Match preview

Carlos Corberan has been in charge at The Hawthorns since October 2022, but West Brom have not won five games in a row in the Championship for the first time since then. The run of results got worse on a mild Lancashire night at Ewood Park versus Blackburn in midweek.

Despite becoming the first side in the division to avoid defeat at the home of John Eustace's men this campaign, the Baggies will be disappointed that they were unable to claim maximum points for the first time since 21 September. Darnell Furlong and Torbjorn Heggem both missed clear-cut chances.

West Brom have picked up just three points from their last five matches in the second tier, which has seen them drop from the summit of the Championship table to fourth place. They are now six points behind league leaders Sunderland and three points behind recently-relegated Burnley in second.

Since West Brom returned from the Premier League in 2021, The Hawthorns has been a fortress for the Baggies. They've only scored twice and conceded just once across five Championship fixtures at the venue ahead of Saturday's visit of Cardiff.

West Brom's top attackers are having less of an impact than usual, and the team is going through a rough patch. Even academy graduate Tom Fellows, who had four goals in the last five games, has gone four matches without scoring.

Since Erol Bulut left the club after the 2-0 defeat at home to Leeds United on 21 September, Cardiff have done a lot better under the interim leadership of Omer Riza, who has said he thinks he can take the coaching role on permanently.

The 44-year-old's case for the position has been given a big boost by back-to-back home wins at the Cardiff City Stadium over the past week. The Bluebirds beat early-season strugglers Plymouth Argyle and newly-promoted Portsmouth by an aggregate scoreline of 7-0.

Callum Robinson has found the net against both the Pilgrims and Pompey, doubling his Championship goal tally this season from two to four in the space of four days. The Republic of Ireland international is hoping to give his former employers at The Hawthorns a run for their money on Saturday.

With 10 points from five matches under the leadership of former Leyton Orient boss Riza, the Bluebirds have moved out of the relegation zone and into 20th in the Championship table, two points ahead of 22nd-placed Coventry City.

Cardiff have improved a lot over the past month, but they still need to work on their away form. This weekend, they're visiting the Black Country, and they haven't won any of their first five away games this season.

Recent Performance

West Bromwich Albion Championship form:WLLDDD

Cardiff City Championship form:LLWDWW

Injuries and suspensions

West Bromwich

12 Daryl Dike

Cardiff

33 Ryotaro Tsunoda

10 Aaron Ramsey

Possible starting lineups

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

Palmer, Furlong, McNair, Ajayi, Heggem,Molumby, Mowatt; Fellows, Swift, Johnston,Maja

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:

Alnwick,Ng, Goutas, Chambers, O'Dowda,Robertson, Turnbull, Tanner, Colwill, El-Ghazi,Robinson