The Hawthorns is set as The Baggies are back in action after Middlesbrough in midweek, now Tony Mowbray is back at the dugout in his first home game as they take on Portsmouth.
Portsmouth are coming to The Hawthorns as they are on a good run of form of late after winning their last two games and are out of the Championship relegation zone after wins against Middlesbrough and Stoke in midweek. Now can West Brom see off Pompey and get over their recent defeat on Tuesday night.
The Baggies are now 7th in the league and are 1 point off from 6th placed Blackburn and the next 3 out of 4 games are at home and some of the next games look winnable and can break into the top six if we get the results we need.
Back in September the last time we faced Portsmouth we won 3-0 with goals from Josh Maja and a brace from Alex Mowatt.
Player To Watch – Portsmouth
Callum Lang for Portsmouth would be the player to watch out for on Saturday, he has got 10 goals in the Championship this season and has scored in midweek against Stoke City and believe he is the one player that our defence have got a eye on come Saturday afternoon.
Callum Lang’s versatility and work ethic make him a standout player for Portsmouth ahead of Saturday’s game. Not only does he have a knack for finding space in the final third, but his ability to press high and disrupt opposition defenses adds an extra dimension to his game.
Lang’s sharp movement off the ball allows him to link up effectively with teammates, creating opportunities that often catch defenders off guard. With his confidence soaring from recent performances, he’s primed to be a game-changer.
If Portsmouth are to capitalize on their attacking chances, Lang’s combination of creativity and relentless energy will be crucial.
Player To Watch – West Brom
Tom Fellows is a standout player to watch in West Bromwich Albion’s upcoming match against Portsmouth on Saturday. At 21 years old, Fellows has been a key contributor this season, recording 12 goal involvements in 25 games.
is playmaking abilities are evident, as he leads the Championship with 10 assists, showcasing his vision and creativity on the field.
Fellows has also demonstrated his knack for impacting games from the bench. Notably, he came on as a substitute to score the opening goal against Swansea City, highlighting his ability to change the course of a match.
With his consistent performances and ability to influence the game both as a starter and a substitute, Tom Fellows is poised to be a decisive factor in the clash against Portsmouth.
My Line Up V Portsmouth
I would make a few changes to the line up, I would start Caleb Taylor for the first time this season in place for Mason Holgate, I would start Molumby and Mowatt in midfield, in attack I give Isaac Price his first start since signing for us in attacking midfield and would play Diangana and Fellows as attacking wingers and Devante Cole should get a league start.
Prediction V Portsmouth
Predictions for Portsmouth at home, the away opposition are coming into this one with back to back wins over Middlesbrough and Stoke City, they are looking to put us third in the list but we are still solid at home and just lost once at home this season to Middlesbrough and we are without a league win in three games. I do think this isn’t a easy game to come on Saturday.
In the first half around the first 6 minutes, I feel we would concede early with Portsmouth’s Colby Bishop getting a header from Callum Lang’s effort that would hit the crossbar but would fall to Bishop to fire home and give Pompey a 1-0 lead.
This would last till the last 5 minutes of the first half where Tom Fellows would despatch his cross over to Devante Cole to fire the Baggies back into the game and then take it level at the break.
Then early in the second half I feel we would play like how we did against Middlesbrough in the second half on Tuesday night and I think Jayson Molumby would give a go early on with a long range effort that would give us a early lead in the second half to put the scoreline 2-1.
A few changes would be made and around the 75th minute mark, Karlan Grant would come on for Devante Cole and he would extend the scoreline to 3-1 and near the end Tom Fellows would finish it for us to give us a 4-1 win at The Hawthorns despite a first half scare by Portsmouth.
Prediction: West Brom 4-1 Portsmouth
Goalscorers for West Brom: Devante Cole, Jayson Molumby, Karlan Grant, Tom Fellows
Goalscorers for Portsmouth: Colby Bishop
I’m going for a 4-1 win here, I think confidence would be low after the Middlesbrough game and it would take time for the team to get used to Tony Mowbray’s football and it would still take effect early in the game on Saturday.
I do think we would start off poor and not be the best of games in the first half but from the moment we get back into the game I feel we start to become more confident and would gain the three points to see off Portsmouth so it be a great game and be like how Bournemouth played against us in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.
Lets see what happens and lets try and back the Baggies and hopefully bounce back into the top six come the end of this weekend.