The Baggies go again as they face promotion challengers Millwall on Friday evening, with everything on the line under the lights at The Hawthorns. From an Albion perspective, three points could open up a vital seven-point gap above the relegation zone, while Millwall know that even a draw could see them break into the promotion places. With so much at stake for both sides at opposite ends of the table battle, it promises to be a tense, high-pressure night in B71.
Six games unbeaten and 10 points in those games with wins over Hull and Bristol City and Southampton have only dropped points against us in that run with a draw we could of easily won, plus we’ve had decent draws away to Sheffield United and unlucky draws to Wrexham, plus our recent goalless draw against Blackburn on Easter Monday.
To be honest, there’s a lot more confidence around this one compared to how things felt heading into Blackburn, with the pressure arguably sitting more on Millwall than us. They’re right in the thick of the promotion race, but sides around them still have games in hand, and by full-time on Friday they’ll have played three more than Ipswich and one more than Middlesbrough, which only adds to the expectation on their shoulders. From an Albion point of view, you’d back us to lean on our home form and turn The Hawthorns into a real fortress again, especially with James Morrison in interim charge, and if we play with that usual intensity and belief in front of our own fans, there’s every reason to feel positive about getting the result we need.
Over the Easter Weekend, the Baggies have picked up two straight draws over Wrexham and Blackburn whilst Millwall have beaten their promotion rivals Middlesbrough on Good Friday and lost to Norwich at The Den on Easter Monday, maybe their momentum has dropped around the Millwall team and lets see how this one plans out at The Hawthorns.
Player To Watch – Millwall
Caleb Taylor is certainly one to watch on Friday night, with the former Albion man already being tipped by plenty of fans to come back and haunt us—something we’ve seen all too often in recent seasons when ex-players return to The Hawthorns.
Now playing a key role for Millwall, he’s been in strong form and is helping drive their push for promotion, which only adds to the sense that this could be his moment. It’s hard not to feel he might have been worth keeping hold of in the summer, especially when you compare that decision to bringing in Charlie Taylor on loan from Southampton, and this feels like exactly the kind of game where he’ll be out to prove a point.
Albion will need to be switched on, particularly at set-pieces, because if he gets the chance, he’s more than capable of punishing us.
Player To Watch – West Brom
For Albion, Nat Phillips is the one to watch heading into Friday night after an impressive showing against Blackburn, where he made 13 defensive contributions, 6 recoveries, and won 10 aerial duels. His presence at the back could be crucial against a Millwall side that thrives on physicality, and if he can replicate that level of performance, he’ll go a long way to keeping them quiet.
Phillips’ ability to dominate in the air and read the game will be vital, not just defensively but also in dealing with set-pieces, and if he continues in that form, it could be key to Albion securing a positive result under the lights at The Hawthorns.
Line Up V Millwall
Line up over Millwall, I put Callum Styles back in his usual position instead of Charlie Taylor. In midfield I keep the same two of Diakite and Molumby, in attacking midfield I have Ollie Bostock in the starting 11 alongside Isaac Price and in a front two I have Josh Maja alongside Daryl Dike.
Prediction V Millwall
For this game I am feeling more confident than the Blackburn away game, I just feel Millwall would be under more pressure away from home knowing a point could put them 2nd for the night that could put them in the promotion race alongside Middlesbrough and Ipswich.
I say with it being at The Hawthorns, I can sense we would turn up and try and get away from the drop zone.
In the opening stages Millwall would do their best to try and get the opener but would take 2 shots, one on target where Max O’Leary makes a save and another off the target that would make them frustrated.
Around the 26th minute mark, Albion would get a corner where Isaac Price would take and George Campbell would make a header that would hit the top of the crossbar then would fall to Daryl Dike’s foot to get the opening goal to get the fans celebrating in style where the American striker would get his first of the season.
Not much would happen throughout the rest of the half and it would be the Baggies taking the lead at the break.
In the second half, Millwall would have the best opportunity where Caleb Taylor would strike from their corner that would hit the post and Mihailo Ivanović would try and go 1 v 1 past O’Leary but would miss his chance.
61 minutes into the game, Ollie Bostock would make a great run in then lay off for then Daryl Dike to strike from his left foot that would beat Anthony Patterson to get his brace against Millwall that would put the Hawthorns in abrupt.
Then throughout the second half, the Baggies would control the game and hold on, they would deny Millwall to get any further chances and it would be a result for West Brom and hopefully moves them clear away from relegation troubles.
Prediction: West Brom 2-0 Millwall
Goalscorers for West Brom: Daryl Dike (X2)
In my predictions, I keep saying Dike would get off the mark and seems to never do but with me I can see it happening at some point this season him getting the winner or delivering in key matches that would be crucial to our season.
He did it against Middlesbrough 3 seasons ago that put us into promotion talk where we was battling relegation under Steve Bruce a couple of months before. Now I think he be the key player in the next 5 games that gets us out of the relegation talk and something to prove if he gets a contract in the summer.
I do think we would get something against Millwall on Friday evening and be the side that could deny a side promotion and I think we could do that here, 2-0 Baggies.