West Bromwich Albion will be looking to keep their promotion dreams alive on Saturday evening when they welcome an out-of-form Norwich City to The Hawthorns in the Championship.
The Baggies failed to earn any points in the last two games meaning their top-six destiny is out of their hands, while Norwich supporters are cautiously preparing for another season in the Championship.
Match preview
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West Brom recorded back-to-back defeats in the Championship for the first time under Carlos Corberan after losing their vital game in hand to Premier League-bound Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Albion played some effective football in the first period but failed to get themselves ahead in the contest, with the second period seeing Blades domination as strikes from Sander Berge and Anel Ahmedhodzic secured their automatic promotion.
Perhaps caused by their lack of squad depth amid an injury crisis, the Baggies had no real answer for a spell of pressure from Paul Heckingbottom's men and now are one bad result away from another season in the Championship.
The Black Country club are sitting in ninth in the second-tier standings, two points from sixth-placed Sunderland with just two matches left to play - Corberan's men know they need perfection to reach the playoffs.
With a murky ownership situation and protests looming over the West Midlands outfit, Albion supporters probably realise an unlikely promotion to the Premier League this season is the only short-term fix to a problem which could keep the club in the Championship for a sustained period of time.
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To an even greater extent than their hosts on Saturday, Norwich are used to being elite operators in the second tier, but this term are facing the reality of remaining in this division for more than one season.
The Canaries are now winless in four matches after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Russell Martin's in-form Swansea City, with goals from Joel Latibeaudiere, Josh Cullen and talisman Joel Piroe securing victory for the visitors at Carrow Road.
That battering - in addition to Norwich's 5-1 loss at Middlesbrough earlier in the month - has put beyond any doubt that the East Anglian outfit are no longer the Championship juggernaut which cruised to titles in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 campaigns.
It is clear Norwich are going through a transitional phase when you realise Teemu Pukki is not sitting top of the club's goalscoring charts, with the Finland international set to leave at the conclusion of this season after netting just 10 times this term.
With only three points separating David Wagner's men and sixth-placed Sunderland, there is still slight hope that Norwich could earn a top-six finish this season, although - like West Brom - they will need to be faultless in their final two matches and hope other results go their way.
Team News
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West Brom's playoff charge has been severely hindered by injuries over the past two months, with all of Adam Reach (muscle), Dara O'Shea (knee), Daryl Dike (Achilles), Grady Diangana (foot), Matt Phillips (muscle) and Nathaniel Chalobah (ankle) sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.
Such an injury crisis played its part in Jovan Malcolm making his Championship debut for the Baggies at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night - the 20-year-old can expect to be involved again on Saturday.
Corberan's switch to a midfield three of Okay Yokuslu, Jayson Molumby and Taylor Gardner-Hickman worked well in the first half against Sheffield United, however the latter may be dropped to the bench after an emotionally-draining night in Yorkshire.
Norwich will be without defender Sam McCallum after he picked up a red card in the defeat against Swansea last time out, with Sam Byram set to replace the 22-year-old.
Grant Hanley (Achilles), Ben Gibson (Hamstring) and Kenny McLean (knee) will be out of action for the rest of the season, leaving what is left of the Canaries squad to fight for an unlikely place in the top six.
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Palmer; Furlong, Ajayi, Pieters, Townsend; Yokuslu, Molumby, Wallace, Swift, Grant; Thomas-Asante
Norwich City possible starting lineup:
Gunn; Aarons, Omobamidele, Sorensen, Byram; Gibbs, Nunez, Sara, Hernandez; Idah, Sargent
We say: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Norwich City
West Brom have squandered two chances to keep their playoff fate in their own hands after defeats to Sunderland and Sheffield United, but a wounded Norwich side visiting The Hawthorns presents a good opportunity to get back to winning ways.
The Canaries were left feeling deflated after their humbling loss to Swansea last time out, and we expect them to be unable to get anything out of a trip to the Black Country on Saturday evening.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
