Palmer, Alex 
Yates, Jerry 
West Brom look to bounce back from consecutive defeats as they welcome Swansea City to The Hawthorns this week in Championship action.
Key Takeaways
- West Brom and Swansea narrowly missed the playoffs last season
- Both teams endured horrible pre-season records
- The visitors have won the last four consecutive meetings
These two sides both agonisingly missed out on the playoffs last season as Swansea beat The Baggies 3-2 on the final day to no avail. With two very promising young coaches at the helm, both clubs will be targeting promotion again this time around.
West Bromwich Albion Form
Despite being favoured by bookies to challenge for a playoff spot this term, it's been a far from ideal start for Carlos Corberan's men. Disastrous pre-season preparations saw them win just 1 of 6 warm-up games, losing to lower league opponents in Bolton, Forest Green and Cheltenham in the process.
Their fans may have believed the old adage that "it's only pre-season", but they haven't begun their competitive campaign any better. The Baggies slumped to a 2-1 defeat on the opening day of their Championship season against Blackburn Rovers, before crashing out of the EFL Cup against Stoke in midweek by the same scoreline.
Nonetheless, it's early days and Corberan will likely come good as the season goes on. Could this weekend be the jumping off point West Brom need to get their campaign started?
Swansea City Form
The Swans endured a similarly torried pre-season run, with Michael Duff's side picking up just one win from the four friendlies they played, including defeats against League One Oxford United and League Two Bristol Rovers.
They started their competitive fixtures a little better, securing a 1-1 draw against Birmingham City, a side with whom they will likely be battling for a playoff spot come the end of the season. Duff's men followed that up with a dominant 3-0 win over Northampton Town in midweek to book their place in the second round of the EFL Cup.
After successful spells at Cheltenham Town and Barnsley, Michael Duff is taking on his biggest challenge yet. He will be the man tasked with returning the Welsh club to the top flight this season.
Head-to-Head
Recent meetings between these two heavily favour the visitors. Swansea have won their last four outings against West Brom and really seem to have their number of late.
Team News
Carlos Corberan will continue to miss out on several key players through injury, including United States international striker Daryl Dike and winger Adam Reach, who are both expected to be out until December at the earliest. He will be pleased to welcome back a crucial part of his attack in Grady Diangana soon, but the forward is unlikely to be ready for this encounter.
New arrivals Josh Maja and Jeremy Sarmiento could make their first Championship starts for The Baggies this weekend, with both expected to play important roles for the team this season.
Michael Duff is fortunate to have his full squad to call upon and no injuries to worry about.
Jerry Yates looks to be adjusting to life in the Championship very well, after scoring on his debut against Birmingham City following a £2m transfer from League One Blackpool this summer.
Key Players
Last season's top scorer Brandon Thomas-Asante is expected to continue leading the line for The Baggies this season, especially in the absence of Dike. He will hope new arrival Josh Maja can take some of the pressure off his shoulders this term, but he will be the key dangerman for the hosts.
Swansea will be delighted to have secured the loan signing of goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton & Hove Albion. The England U-21 international will hope to make his third consecutive step-up in league a success, following outstanding seasons at League Two Walsall and League One Lincoln City. His addition could prove crucial for The Swans this season.
Meanwhile, Yates should end up being another smart addition from Duff. After scoring on his Championship debut, the striker will be on the hunt for more goals this weekend.
Final Thoughts
This should be an entertaining battle between two very evenly matched sides with similar aspirations in the Championship this season. However, it's hard to look past Swansea's form in the head-to-head between these two. They have to be favourites to make it five wins in a row over West Brom this weekend.
Championship