The Baggies travel to London Road, the scene of two cup victories last season, in an attempt to get back to winning ways.
West Brom were left sorely disappointed by the manner of their defeat at the hands of local rivals Aston Villa at the weekend. Sadly, poor defending and goalkeeping cost the chance of any points that day and surely the players will want to make up for that performance by claiming a shut out against Darren Ferguson’s high flying Peterborough.
The earlier game at the Hawthorns had seen a lacklustre display from the Baggies and Peterborough deservedly equalised late on to force a replay and perhaps could think themselves unlucky not to win the tie at the first time of asking.
Peterborough are expecting to upset West Brom and I don’t think it would come as too much of a shock to anybody if that were to defeat the Premier League’s bottom club. However, the Baggies players and fans are hurting after the defeat at the weekend and the team has something to prove and they will be looking to get a morale boosting victory under their belts before the big game against another Boro, Middlesbrough this Saturday.
Vital Quotes:
Darren Ferguson said earlier: ‘We know we will have to play at a similar standard to what we did at the Hawthorns, because West Brom are a very good side.
‘It isn’t a case of missing out in the first game. We still feel we have a great chance of progressing if we play to our potential.’
‘All of the lads are really looking forward to the game and have been champing at the bit really, because we have been without a game for the last week or so.
‘When you play so well, like we did at the Hawthorns, you really want to play straightaway. But we are ready and raring to go.’
Meanwhile Albion’s Assistant Manager, Mark Venus, recognises the importance of the FA Cup: “It`s the FA Cup and everybody knows what fun we had last year, and the year before in reaching the fifth round,”
“We don`t want to go out of the FA Cup.
“Cups can open up and they have had a habit of opening up in the last couple of years.
“But you need to get through your round and once you do that you can look ahead’.
Peterborough Utd Team News:
Tom Williams should be available again for the Posh but Ferguson will be without long term injury victims, Jamie Day and Shane Blackett.
PETERBOROUGH: (from) Lewis, Martin, Zakuani, Lee, Whelpdale, Batt, Morgan, Keates, Coutts, Boyd, McLean, Mackail-Smith, McKeown, Green, Andrew, Blanchett, Torres.
Player to watch: Craig Mackail-Smith
Mackail-Smith was a thorn in the side of the Baggies defence at the Hawthorns and could easily be the one to cause an upset in this game.
West Bromwich Albion Team News:
James Morrison is definitely out with the hamstring problem that forced him off at Villa Park and the game probably comes too soon for Teixeira and Zuiverloon. Abdoulaye Meite is also out following his withdrawal from the game against Chelsea on Boxing Day. Marek Cech who can rightly feel aggrieved after missing out against Villa may return at the expense of regular left back Paul Robinson.
ALBION: (from) Carson, Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Robinson, Olsson, Barnett, Pele, Donk, Greening, Koren, Kim, Borja, Brunt, Dorrans, Simpson, Moore, Beattie, Bednar.
Player to watch: Jay Simpson
Simpson looked a real threat on Saturday and he will be looking to open his goal account sooner rather than later.
Match Facts & Stats
In the game at the Hawthorns the Baggies enjoyed the majority of the possession 54% and had 11 attempts at goal compared to Posh’s 8 but the only stat that counts is the 1-1 scoreline.
Ref Watch:
Andy D’Urso is the man in charge for tonight’s game therefore we might find that one or two players might get booked unlike the affair at the Hawthorns when nobody was shown a card.
Match Prediction:
Again it will be a good clean game but I fancy the Baggies to come away with a victory. 2-1 to the Albion with a goal for Jay Simpson.
Next Fixtures:
The next game is against Middlesbrough at home this Saturday and miracle of miracles it is a 3pm kick off.