Let’s hope we do not hear the campest song ever sung by an opposition team this afternoon. ‘You’re being mauled by the Tigers’ reverberated around the Hawthorns in the reverse fixture and to make matters worse it was accompanied by grown men scratching like little pussy cats in the direction of the West Brom faithful.
Hull come into the game on the back of a defeat to West Ham which could easily have matched the Baggies’ 5-0 loss to Man United. Of the two teams the Baggies have the better form coming into the game but Hull will surely have targeted this game to get their season back on track and they will fancy their chances of victory over Tony Mowbray’s injury ravaged team.
Hull City Team News:
Hull could be without Daniel Cousin and Jimmy Bullard.
Bernard Mendy and Caleb Folan could come into the reckoning for a first team start.
Nick Barmby, Anthony Gardner and George Boateng are all definitely out.
Hull (from): Duke, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Marney, Geovanni, Ashbee, Kilbane, Cousin, Manucho, Bullard, Garcia, Mendy, Fagan, Halmosi, Folan, Doyle, France, Myhill.
Player to watch: Manucho
Manucho has yet to spring into life for Hull since signing on loan from Man Utd and he will see this afternoon against West Brom’s makesshift defence as the perfect opportunity to make himself a Hull hero.
West Bromwich Albion Team News:
Paul Robinson is available after having his red card against Man Utd overturned. However, the Baggies have doubts over all of the centre backs on their books. Ryan Donk is likely to play through the pain barrier and if Pele doesn’t make it the returning right back Zuiverloon could partner him in the centre of defence with Hoefkins keeping his place at right back.
West Brom captain Jonathan Greening will again miss out.
West Brom (from): Carson, Kiely, Zuiverloon, Hoefkens, Donk, Pele, Robinson, Cech, Koren, Teixeira, Do-Heon, Valero, Brunt, Simpson, Fortune, Bednar, Dorrans, Hodgkiss, Moore.
Player to watch: Jay Simpson
Simpson has looked bright in the games he has played this season and in Fortune he appears to have found the perfect partner.
Match Prediction:
1-2 to the Baggies
Next Fixtures:
Burnley in the FA Cup on Tuesday followed by Newcastle United at the Hawthorns on Saturday.