Cambridge United will take on West Bromwich Albion at the Cledara Abbey Stadium on Friday in their penultimate pre-season match in preparation for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
The hosts have won two and lost two of their four friendly games to date, while the visitors have won one and lost three of their four pre-season fixtures.
Match preview
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After finishing comfortably in the middle of the table in their first campaign in League One in 2021-22, Cambridge have struggled in the following two seasons, narrowly avoiding relegation with 20th and 18th-placed finishes.
Garry Monk, who took charge of the team in March, guided the side to two wins and four draws from his 11 league matches, and the former Swansea boss will be hoping to lead the team up the table in the upcoming campaign.
In preparation for their fourth successive term in League One, the U's have endured a mixed pre-season, losing two of their four friendlies so far, being heavily defeated 7-2 by Tottenham Hotspur before disappointingly losing 2-0 to Portuguese second-tier side Maritimo.
Monk's side have bounced back with victories against lower league opposition Braintree Town and Ebbsfleet United, winning 3-0 and 3-1 respectively, but West Brom will serve as a much tougher opponent on Friday.
The visitors, on the other hand, enjoyed their best campaign in the Championship since being relegated from the Premier League in 2020-21, placing in the playoff places for the first time since returning to the division.
Carlos Corberan's side drew 0-0 in their playoff semi-final first leg against Southampton but were ultimately outclassed by the Saints in the second leg, losing 3-1 to the eventual playoff winners, and consigning West Brom to their fourth year in England's second tier.
Having gradually progressed in the last three campaigns, finishing 10th, ninth and fifth, Corberan will be looking to climb further up the table this season with ambitions of achieving promotion to the Premier League.
However, the Baggies have shown little sign of improvement in their four pre-season fixtures so far, losing to Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool and RCD Mallorca and only triumphing 2-1 against Peterborough United.
With just two scheduled friendlies remaining before West Brom's opening Championship match against Queens Park Rangers, Corberan will be looking for a run of wins to build momentum heading into the campaign.
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Team News
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Monk has made plenty of changes in Cambridge's last two friendly victories against Ebbsfleet and Braintree, and the U's are expected to start with a much-changed side yet again here.
Taylor Richards scored 10 goals and assisted five more the last time he played in League One, and the on-loan midfielder could prove to be a vital part of the side this season.
Brandon Thomas-Asante has been a rare bright spark for West Brom in pre-season, and after an impressive last season, the striker could play a key part for the club in 2024-25.
A familiar backline to last term, featuring Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong, Kyle Bartley, Cedric Kipre and Conor Townsend, is likely to start in this one.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Stevens; Bennett, Watts, Ibsen Rossi; Kaikai, Kachunga, Brophy, Lavery, Gibbons; Njoku, Munday
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Kipre, Townsend; Mowatt, Molumby; Wallace, Swift, Grant; Thomas-Asante
We say: Cambridge United 1-2 West Bromwich Albion
West Brom may have struggled in their pre-season so far, but the visitors boast a much stronger squad than their opponents, and we expect them to take the victory here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
