West Bromwich Albion and Millwall meet in the Championship on Saturday afternoon with both teams sitting in the mid-table positions.
The Baggies are down in 15th spot in the standings, while the recent improvement of the visitors has led to them progressing into 11th place.
Match preview
© Reuters
Despite West Brom generally being considered as a candidate for promotion whenever they participate in the Championship, head coach Carlos Corberan finds himself in a tricky position in the short and long term.
Reports of a fire-sale being required in January if a change of ownership is not achieved will inevitably dominate their season until that is resolved, yet Corberan has to deliver points on the pitch to keep the Baggies as a second-tier club.
Draws away at Bristol City and Watford in succession can be regarded as steps in the right direction, with West Brom now having lost just once in six matches.
Nevertheless, with nine points from seven matches, West Brom find themselves in the bottom half of the table, even when possessing the joint-sixth best attacking record in the division.
Just one clean sheet has been kept in all competitions during 2023-24, and Millwall will feel that they can extend that poor return at the back.
On Wednesday night, the Lions scored almost half of their Championship goals for the season in seeing off Rotherham United by a 3-0 scoreline.
Up until that fixture, Gary Rowett's side had failed to score more than once in a single encounter this campaign, but they were full value for their triumph over the Millers.
Millwall have conceded just eight times, though, with three clean sheets being kept in seven Championship outings, although three goals were shipped in a defeat to Leeds United immediately after the international break.
Although it has been a mixed start for both teams, they remain within three points of the top six, and a win at the weekend could act as a springboard for a promotion push.
Team News
© Reuters
Corberan may consider freshening up his West Brom XI, particularly on the left flank with Conor Townsend potentially returning ahead of Matt Phillips.
Nathaniel Chalobah or Alex Mowatt could be drafted into the engine room, while Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Jeremy Sarmiento is still awaiting his first start in a creative role.
Summer arrival Josh Maja has been ruled out until November with an ankle injury sustained last weekend.
Duncan Watmore is expected to replace Kevin Nisbet in the Millwall attack after the Scotland international picked up an ankle problem of his own in midweek.
Barring any further injury issues, that could prove to be the only alteration given the manner of the win over Rotherham.
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Palmer; Ajayi, Kipre, Pieters; Furlong, Yokuslu, Molumby, Townsend; Wallace, Swift; Thomas-Asante
Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Leonard, Cooper, Wallace; Norton-Cuffy, De Norre, Campbell, Longman; Watmore, Flemming; Bradshaw
We say: West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Millwall
On the back of their performance against Rotherham, Millwall will expect more of the same in the West Midlands. Nevertheless, with the Baggies having proven difficult to beat of late, we are anticipating a hard-fought share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Darren Plant
