West Brom will host Sheffield United on Friday night, with the home manager under ever-increasing pressure.
Ryan Mason has seen his side slip to 16th in the table, just eight points above the relegation zone.
West Brom have won just two of their last ten matches, leading to calls from fans that Mason should no longer be in charge.
The midweek defeat to Southampton heaped further misery on the Baggies, making it seven consecutive away defeats — the club’s worst run since the 2010/11 Premier League season under Roberto Di Matteo.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United have experienced an upturn in form since replacing Ruben Selles with club hero Chris Wilder. The Blades have won four of their last five, including a derby day triumph over rivals Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Team News
The home side will be without both club captain Jed Wallace and on-loan midfielder Toby Collyer.
Wallace has not featured for two months due to a calf injury, while Collyer has returned to Carrington to be assessed by his parent club.
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has been left with limited options in midfield after a calf injury to Sydie Peck and an illness to Jairo Riedewald, but he will be boosted by the return of Ollie Arblaster.
Defenders Ben Mee, Ben Godfrey and Mark McGuinness are all sidelined as well.
Predicted Lineups
West Bromwich Albion:
Josh Griffiths (GK), Krystian Bielik, Nat Phillips, Chris Mepham, Callum Styles, Jayson Molumby, Alex Mowatt, Isaac Price, Karlan Grant, Mikey Johnston, Aune Heggebo
Sheffield United:
Michael Cooper (GK), Femi Seriki, Tyler Bindon, Japhet Tanganga, Harrison Burrows, Ollie Arblaster, Djibril Soumare, Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare, Tyrese Campbell, Thomas Cannon
Players To Watch In West Brom vs Sheffield United
West Brom: Aune Heggebo
The 24-year-old finds himself in fine form, scoring six goals in his last six games.
The Norwegian was signed for £4.7 million in the summer but initially struggled to adapt to the change in style of play in England.
Now, he is one of Albion’s shining lights in what has been a rather dismal season for the club so far.
Sheffield United: Ollie Arblaster
The 21-year-old is a key player for Chris Wilder and has only just returned to the team after a 13-month lay-off.
The lack of midfield options forced Wilder’s hand in starting the academy product against Norwich, with Arblaster lasting 60 minutes as the club looks to manage his fitness.
Now he will be looking to cement his place back in the Blades’ midfield.
Key Statistics
- Sheffield United can extend their unbeaten run to seven games. The last time the Blades went seven without defeat was during a run of 11 between October and December in 2024.
- The Blades are four unbeaten against the Albion (D2, W2).
- Albion’s last win over United was a 1-0 triumph in the Carabao Cup in August 2022 at The Hawthorns.
- The overall wins in the head-to-head record stands at Albion having beaten the Blades 47 times, with United claiming 46 triumphs over the Baggies.
