West Bromwich Albion will be hoping that they can go into the international break on a high by easing their Premier League survival woes.
West Brom go into the final game before the international break looking as good as down, with last weekend’s 4-1 home defeat to Leicester City leaving Alan Pardew’s men eight points off safety and heading into their final eight games of the season off the back of a run of seven straight defeats.
Bournemouth also go into Saturday’s game off the back of a 4-1 defeat, but Eddie Howe’s side are in a much better position and will be hoping to get themselves to within four points of the magic 40 point mark with a win at the Vitality Stadium.
The most notable change that the Baggies may make for Saturday’s game comes in the middle of the park. Grzegorz Krychowiak was visibly angered by being subbed off by Pardew against the Foxes having been one of the side’s best players up until that point.
His reaction may perhaps land the loanee in hot water, and Pardew may try to prove that he still has control of his squad by bringing Sam Field in for a rare start. Many Baggies fans will be disappointed to see that it is Jake Livermore playing alongside Field, but that perhaps seems the most obvious pairing if Krychowiak is going to be punished for his – arguably justified – reaction.
Elsewhere, there is also a start for Gareth McAuley. West Brom’s back four did not seem to work last weekend so perhaps Craig Dawson will move to right-back and Allan Nyom will drop to the bench for the Northern Ireland international to come in.
James McClean comes in on the left while Oliver Burke keeps his place on the right-hand side having set up Salomon Rondon’s goal against Leicester with a very good cross.
Chris Brunt and Matt Phillips come out of the starting lineup which would allow Pardew to play Jay Rodriguez alongside Rondon up front if he wants to throw caution to the wind and try and give West Brom more of an attacking presence.
With that in mind, here is a look at the predicted lineup in full…
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