West Bromwich Albion take their faint playoff hopes to South Wales on Monday afternoon when they face Swansea City in the final day of a hotly-contested Championship season.
Albion will need to win and hope other results around the country go their way - the Swans will be looking to end their campaign on a high note in front of their home faithful.
Match preview
© Reuters
Swansea's outside top-six hopes came to an end last Saturday with a 1-1 draw at the MKM Stadium against Liam Rosenior's Hull City, with a Luke Cundle goal cancelling out Ben Cabango's own goal in the third minute.
Despite the Swans extending their impressive unbeaten run to eight matches, they are now unable to reach the top six this season - a task which always seemed difficult after a tricky start to the term.
Russell Martin's men are 10th in the Championship standings on 63 points, meaning Swansea can only finish as high as seventh in their fifth season back at this level since relegation from the Premier League in 2018.
Joel Piroe has once again been the standout performer for the Welsh club this year - the Dutchman's 18 league goals can only be bested by Chuba Akpom, Viktor Gyokeres and Carlton Morris in the entire division.
Swansea certainly have the style of play accustomed to that of a side making a serious promotion charge, and Martin will be hoping his charges can take their late-season form into the 2023-24 campaign.
© Reuters
West Brom travel to Swansea on Monday with a slight chance of reaching the top six by the conclusion of the afternoon's play, with an imperative success against Norwich last time out to thank.
The Canaries stunned The Hawthorns when Joshua Sargent fired the visitors ahead, but goals from Connor Townsend and Jed Wallace either side of the half-time break ensured Albion lived to fight another game in the promotion race.
Carlos Corberan has done a remarkable job in getting this Albion side out of the gutter they were placed in by Steve Bruce and challenging at the top end of the division once again, although it would feel like a massive opportunity missed if they were unable to make the playoffs.
Losses such as the one at Jordan Hugill's Rotherham United on Good Friday stand out as games in which Albion let their top-six fate unacceptably slip from their own hands, and they now must rely on other results to reach their goal.
Currently sitting eighth in the second-tier standings and two points behind sixth place, Albion need to beat Swansea and hope Millwall and Sunderland fail to win to climb into the top six at the final moment.
Team News
© Reuters
Swansea remain without the services of midfielder Joe Allen on Monday as the Wales international continues to serve his three-match suspension for a red card during the win over Preston North End.
First-choice goalkeeper Steven Benda is still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury and will not be back in action until September, with Jay Fulton and Liam Walsh doubtful for the season finale due to knocks.
West Brom have been fighting to keep their promotion dreams alive with an extremely depleted squad over the past month, with Daryl Dike, Grady Diangana, Adam Reach, Matt Phillips and Nathaniel Chalobah all sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.
Key players Wallace and Jayson Molumby missed training as a precaution on Thursday ahead of the vital trip to Wales - Corberan will be praying both can start on Monday.
Players' Player of the Season Okay Yokuslu will start in the Albion engine room, with the Turkey international looking to guide Albion back to the Premier League where he impressed alongside the likes of Matheus Pereira and Mbaye Diagne in the 2020-21 campaign.
Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Fisher; Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Wood, Manning; Grimes, Ntcham, Cundle, Cullen, Paterson; Piroe
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Palmer; Furlong, Ajayi, Pieters, Townsend; Molumby, Yokuslu, Wallace, Swift, Grant; Thomas-Asante
We say: Swansea City 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
Swansea are one of the in-form sides in the Championship and they will be hoping to put on a show for their home supporters before the season ends.
West Brom will have to go for it in South Wales to have any chance of reaching the top six, and we believe this could leave them vulnerable to the likes of Piroe and Ntcham on the break.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
