All the injury news ahead of Saturday’s teatime Premier League match at the Hawthorns.
Premier League surprise packages West Brom welcome Manchester United to the Hawthorns for a televised match on Saturday evening, and both sides have injury problems to deal with.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Baggies boss Tony Pulis admitted that defender Jonny Evans is a doubt for the clash with his former club, with several others also needing late tests.
West Ham United’s Michail Antonio in action with West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans
“We’ve got a couple needing to be assessed, and Jonny is one of them,” he said.
The Northern Ireland international made over 150 appearances in all competitions over his nine years at Old Trafford and has become a key part of Albion’s back four since joining the club in the summer of 2015.
Evans’ fellow defender Craig Dawson is back in contention having served his one-match suspension in midweek, when Salomon Rondon claimed the headlines with a quickire hat-trick as Albion beat Swansea 3-1.
West Brom’s Salomon Rondon celebrates scoring their second goal
Pulis’ opposite number Jose Mourinho will have to cope without a key defender, with Eric Bailly sidelined through injury this weekend.
It is not all bad news for United at the back, however, as Mourinho told the club’s official website that Chris Smalling set to make his return to action in the West Midlands.
“He [Bailly] can’t be in this game but it doesn’t look as serious as we first thought,” he said. “We hope to have him back for Christmas period. Smalling is coming back for this game.”
Manchester United’s Chris Smalling in action with Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri
Heinrikh Mkhitaryan and Luke Shaw will also be sidelined this weekend as United go in search of their third win in a row.
Mourinho went on to explain the dilemma surrounding Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is in fine scoring form but could perhaps do with a rest given his advancing years.
“He’s a striker and sometimes, in other positions, you can hide yourself a little bit more and protect yourself with experience and position. He’s doing phenomenal, and tomorrow he’s going to play again, and then one week to rest,” he said.
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after the match with Paul Pogba
United’s late victory at Selhurst Park in midweek – secured by a late Ibrahimovic strike – kept them in touch with the top five, but West Brom will draw to within a point of Mourinho’s men with a win at the Hawthorns on Saturday evening.
For a full match preview, including all the relevant television information, click here.
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