Preview | West Brom v Swansea City

8th December
First team
West Brom away preview graphic

An unbeaten home record and an unbeaten away record go on the line when Swansea City and West Brom face off at The Hawthorns at midday.

The Baggies are currently leading the way at the top of the Championship standings having won seven and drawn two from their last nine games.

They have yet to be toppled on home turf in the league this season, and are enjoying their best run in their own backyard in just shy of a century.

However, Steve Cooper’s Swans are the only side in the EFL yet to lose an away game and have shown themselves to be resilient and resourceful on their travels.

The hosts will start as favourites, but the visitors will be looking to bounce back from what Cooper himself described as a frustrating recent trio of results.

A trip to The Hawthorns could be considered the toughest assignment in the Championship right now, but Swansea will travel with a belief they can record another positive result in front of a 1,500-strong travelling contingent.

Team news

Aldo Kalulu

Aldo Kalulu is in contention for his first Swansea City appearance in three months after completing his rehab from an ankle injury.

The French winger could make his return against the Baggies after getting valuable minutes under his belt for the under-23s recently.

Nathan Dyer is also fit after a knock, but Wayne Routledge misses out with a calf problem.

Joe Rodon and Jordon Garrick are progressing in their recovery from ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.

Pre-match views

West Brom Slaven Bilic

Steve Cooper: “It’s got the makings of a really good game. The team is playing well and big expectations around West Brom with the investment they’ve had in the team.

“The manager is a good manager with experience of the Premier League and international football.

“It’s a game we’re looking forward to. We’ve enjoyed being on the road, but we’ve enjoyed being at home as well even though results haven’t gone our way, but we’ll follow the same process of trying to pick the right team and trying to win the game."

Slaven Bilic: “I think this is the most confident we have been this season so far.

“We started very confidently in our first game and then we were building it up.

“With recent results and when you are near the top of the table or at the top of the table, the confidence grows.

“It’s great to have confidence."

Remember the last time?

Managerless West Brom claimed a 3-0 victory at The Hawthorns as the Swans were made to pay the price for missing a fourth penalty of the campaign and an inability to defend set-pieces.

Graham Potter’s side completely dominated in terms of possession and territory but were ruthlessly punished at the other end of the pitch.

Connor Roberts had already hit the post when a Chris Brunt free-kick was allowed to travel across the six-yard box and find the far corner.

The Swans then had a chance to level from the spot after Mike van der Hoorn was felled by Craig Dawson.

Bersant Celina stepped up, but slipped at the crucial moment and the Baggies cleared the danger.

Mason Holgate doubled the home side's lead as he nodded home Brunt's corner in the 54th minute, while Jay Rodriguez rounded off victory for the Baggies with five minutes remaining.

Prime numbers

5 - Swansea City have not tasted victory in their last five visits to The Hawthorns, losing three games and drawing the other two.

15 - West Brom are unbeaten in their last 15 home league games (W10 D5) – they last went longer without defeat at home between February-December 1920 (16 games).