The Baggies are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland last weekend but can they do it against promotion rivals who are out of form Leicester City at The King Power Stadium on Saturday Lunchtime.
After losing 1-0 to Sunderland on Saturday we went on a ten game unbeaten run and looked certain to secure our play-off spots during this run we did however only won one in five games since the International Break which has not come at a good time where we have only beat Rotherham who are now relegated to League One, drew 3 times against Millwall, Watford and Stoke and lost to Sunderland over the weekend. However Leicester have not been at their best since February who have lost 6 out of their last 10 Championship games and also blew a 17 point lead in the process with now Ipswich Town top of the league with Leeds United only one point behind them in the promotion race.
Leicester have lost twice in a row both 1-0 away to Millwall and Plymouth on Friday night. I think this game will be hard to call with Leicester City who are out of form and under pressure cause they are still close to being promoted and it’s still in their hands with a game in hand over Ipswich Town and Leeds United and also have advantage of playing in the early kick off on Saturday.
West Brom can still have the chance of securing a play-off position if they beat Leicester City and Hull City lose to Watford later on Saturday afternoon. I do expect this to be an entertaining clash between two sides going for promotion.
Player To Watch – Leicester City
The player to watch for the opposition side Leicester City on Saturday is going to be Stephy Mavididi, since signing to the East Midlands over the summer I have to say he a been a key player for the Foxes this season and managed to score 12 goals with 5 assists in 42 appearances this season.
Mavididi has been a threat to the Championship this season and should be one of the best players in the division if the Foxes manage to secure Premier League football again next season I think he be one of the key players for the league and defenders should be fearful of who they might face in Mavididi.
Lets hope our Baggies defence can keep him quiet on Saturday and not allow him to pressure us and not score or create a goalscoring opportunity and he does have players around him in Jamie Vardy, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Patson Daka who have Premier League quality in them with those players who in any other side in the Championship they played for I would do a player to watch for them. This time it has to be Stephy Mavididi in this encounter against the Baggies.
Player To Watch – West Brom
My Player To Watch for West Brom is going to be Josh Maja, I did say in the Sunderland preview he should start instead of Brandon Thomas-Asante and what happened he didn’t play and Thomas-Asante got sent off which I thought cost us against Sunderland as we was not in much control after the red card. I wonder what would of happened if we did start Maja instead of Thomas Asante against the Black Cats?
However it is a different game and lets hope Carlos gets it right by starting Josh Maja in this game and will be my player to watch in this clash, he did score the equalizer against Leicester back in December and we did manage to lose the game late on 2-1 with a Harry Winks goal. With only 1 goal since signing on a free from Bordeaux back in July last year his goal was against Leicester and I think if fit and right he will go for it and could strike a goal at the King Power Stadium as he has not much game time due to injury and not being a key player with Leicester not knowing what sort of striker we have got he could cause The Foxes some problems on Saturday lunchtime.
My Line Up V Leicester City
Changes need to be made following our defeat to Sunderland with Adam Reach starting instead of Conor Townsend, Jed Wallace and John Swift making a start and will give Josh Maja his first start since injury as I would of started him against Sunderland instead of Thomas-Asante where it did cost us the game.
Who would you start against Leicester City, comment below?
Predictions V Leicester City
Prediction will be hard to call I did predict my first defeat last weekend before the Sunderland game which did bite me in the neck where we did lose 2-1. However predictions has become more difficult for me with Leicester not on a good run of late and with us getting our first defeat in 10 games I say it will be a close game.
Will there be goals? Yes I think there will be goals in The King Power Stadium and I say Baggies will score first early on with Josh Maja finding the net with his first start since injury, I do feel Leicester will then equalise before half time with a penalty and Jamie Vardy coming back to scare us to make it 1-1.
Second half I think there could be a late goal with Mikey Johnston finding the winner in injury time to seal a big three points for the Baggies and feel Leicester will have promotion out of their hands in this big away day fixture.
I say we will bounce back at The King Power Stadium by a close game and will win here 2-1, I do feel it could help secure our play off position but not mathematically yet as I think Hull would get a result against Preston and it will still be job done regardless.
I don’t know why I’m saying this even the game has even started yet? Lets hope this does happen on Saturday… Come on you Baggies…
Prediction: Leicester City 1-2 West Brom
Goalscorers for Leicester City: Jamie Vardy
Goalscorers for West Brom: Josh Maja, Mikey Johnston