Friday will bring us action extravaganza in the EFL Championship, with the marquee fixture coming from West Bromwich.
The Hawthorns will witness the game between West Brom and Leeds United, with the two teams looking set to finish in the playoffs positions at the end of the 2023/24 season.
West Bromwich Albion came into the 2023/24 season after coming close to a top-six finish last term.
The Baggies were only three points behind sixth-placed Sunderland but have performed consistently thus far in the ongoing campaign. Carlos Corberan’s men are currently fifth on the table, with second-placed Ipswich Town 14 points ahead.
On the other hand, Leeds United appointed Daniel Farke to immediately take them back to the Premier League after suffering relegation last season.
The German manager has done a decent job thus far, although they have blown hot and cold in the last few weeks.
The Whites have managed only two wins in their most recent five outings, dropping either points behind Ipswich Town.
The reverse fixture saw Leeds United coming from a goal down to hold West Bromwich Albion to a 1-1 draw.
The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Carlos Corberan does not have any new fitness concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Leeds United on Friday, the West Bromwich Albion manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players.
The injury issues have only impacted the offensive unit, with Daryl Dike (Achilles), Josh Maja (ankle), and Matt Phillips (hamstring) still on the sidelines. Otherwise, Corberan has a fully-fit squad ahead of the game against Leeds United.
Alex Palmer will take his spot between the sticks, with West Brom lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him.
The defensive unit should feature Darnell Furlong, Cedric Kipre, Conor Townsend, and Kyle Bartley, with Townsend playing as a makeshift left-back. The experienced defender’s presence will fortify the backline.
As for the midfield unit, Alex Mowatt and Okay Yokuslu will pair up in the double pivot. The duo will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park and negate the influence of Joel Piroe.
John Swift will likely reprise the no. 10 role, while Grady Diangana and captain Jed Wallace should be the two wide attackers.
Finally, Brandon Thomas-Asante will lead the line on Friday.
