Sandwiched in between games against Hull City and Newcastle United, the Tuesday night trip to Turf Moor is the last thing Tony Mowbray’s men wanted or needed. With an ever growing injury list, the Baggies’ chief will be surely keeping his fingers crossed that the wintry conditions that are affecting much of the country result in the match being postponed.

The home side will start the game as clear favourites after already disposing of a number of top flight clubs in cup competition this season, narrowly missing out on a trip to Wembley in the Carling Cup due to a last-gasp Spurs goal in the semi-final.

Albion will need to show a vast improvement from their performance at the KC Stadium on Saturday where in all honesty they were lucky to escape with a point following a very poor showing against a distinctly average Hull side.

Mowbray looks likely to name a weakened side for the fourth round replay, resting a number of players with an eye on Saturday’s crucial game against Newcastle uppermost in his mind. New signings Juan Carlos Menseguez and Youssouf Mulumbu are both ineligible although a trip to a freezing cold Turf Moor might not of been the best introduction to English football for them.

Albion have not been knocked out by a lower division club since Reading prevailed 3-2 in a third round replay in 2006 but they face a tough task to avoid becoming Burnley’s 4th Premiership scalp of the season.

Prediction: Burnley 2-1 Albion

TEAM NEWS

Albion

In goal Scott Carson looks likely to retain his place. The experienced  Dean Kiely will provide back-up on the bench.

Baggies’ boss Mowbray has major selection problems in defence with four central defenders still ruled out through injury. Jonas Olsson (knee), Shelton Martis (hamstring), Leon Barnett (hamstring) and Neil Clement (knee) are all definitely out whilst Abdoulaye Meite (hamstring), Pele (groin) and Ryan Donk (groin) are all less than fully match fit. Donk and Pele are the likely partnership with Meite being rested. Gianni Zuiverloon looks likely to line-up at right-back with Paul Robinson at left-back.

In midfield Albion are without influential captain Jonathan Greening who is suffering from a knee injury whilst Borja Valero (hamstring) and Robert Koren (calf) both picked up knocks against Hull on Saturday and could be rested. Do-Heon Kim and Felipe Teixeira are likely to start alongside James Morrison and Chris Brunt. New signings Juan Carlos Menseguez and Youssouf Mulumbu are both ineligible.

Jay Simpson looks set retain his place in the starting line-up whilst Roman Bednar could earn a recall at the expense of Marc-Antoine Fortune.  Luke Moore, Craig Beattie and long-term injury victim Ishmael Miller are all still missing.

Albion (from): Carson, Kiely, Zuiverloon, Hoefkens, Donk, Pele, Meite, Robinson, Cech, Koren, Teixeira, Kim, Valero, Brunt, Simpson, Fortune, Bednar, Dorrans, Hodgkiss.

Burnley

Clarets' manager Owen Coyle will be without on-loan Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams for the game whilst left-back Stephen Jordan will again be missing due to a knee ligament injury.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 7/4, Burnley Win: 5/4, Draw: 11/5.

First Goalscorer

Paterson 5/1, Blake 6/1, Bednar 6/1, Fortune 7/1, Thompson 7/1, Beattie 7/1, Simpson 7/1, Dorrans 7/1, Akinbiyi 7/1, Rodriguez 8/1, Moore 8/1, Morrison 10/1, Eagles 12/1, Koren 12/1, McDonald 12/1, Kim 14/1, MacDonald 14/1.

TICKET INFORMATION

Albion have been allocated 3,000 tickets for the game, priced £15 adults, £10 over 65s and students, and £5 juniors / under 16's. There will be no concession prices available on the day of the game.

Cloudy and feeling very cold with a 10% chance of rain / snow showers.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT TURF MOOR

Burnley 2 Albion 1
Coca-Cola League Championship
Saturday 11 August 2007, 3:00pm

Burnley:  Kiraly, Duff, Thomas, Caldwell (Lafferty 31), Jordan, Elliott, Gudjonsson, McCann, Harley, Blake (Akinbiyi 73), Gray. Subs not used: Jensen, O'Connor, Spicer

Goalscorers: Duff 47, Gray 79 (pen)

Booked: Duff 72 (unsporting behaviour)

Albion: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Clement, Tininho, Gera, Chaplow (Morrison 70), Greening, Phillips, Beattie (Ellington 70), Teixeira (Pele 64). Subs not used: Steele, Albrechtsen

Goalscorer: Phillips 18

Booked: Gera 76 (unsporting behaviour), Phillips 78 (dissent)

Attendance: 15,337

Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear)

Ade Akinbiyi came off the substitutes' bench to inspire an opening-day victory for Burnley against a West Brom side tipped to be among the frontrunners for promotion. Akinbiyi has endured his fair share of critics during a nomadic career but his arrival in the 72nd minute gave the Clarets fresh impetus at just the right time. The bustling striker's strong running forced Albion defender Neil Clement into a clumsy handball inside the visitors' penalty box in the 78th minute and Andy Gray stepped up to score the winner from the spot. Gray's perfectly-executed strike from 12 yards capped a fine Burnley fightback after Michael Duff had headed them level two minutes after the restart. Kevin Phillips' typically predatory effort in the 18th minute put West Brom ahead but Burnley showed bucketloads of spirit and no little skill to overturn the deficit.

Albion boss Tony Mowbray named five debutants in his starting line-up - Carl Hoefkens, Leon Barnett, Craig Beattie, Andrade Filipe Teixieira and Miguel Tininho. But, with three debutants of their own, and buoyed by a lively crowd at sun-soaked Turf Moor, the Clarets were up for it from the first whistle. Gabor Kiraly, Stephen Jordan and Robbie Blake all lined up for Steve Cotterill's men but it was Gray who emerged as the key figure. Barely a minute had passed when he whipped in a vicious low cross which forced Barnett into a smart clearance at the near post. Blake flighted over the resultant corner and Chris McCann should have done better than head over the crossbar when completely unmarked 10 yards out. Burnley began to build up a head of steam and another dangerous Blake corner gave Duff a free clear header which was again spurned. Albion, having survived Burnley's early purple patch, then struck in devastating fashion on 18 minutes. The goal stemmed from a short Burnley corner which Albion comfortably repelled before tearing upfield and catching the hosts on the hop. Zoltan Gera spotted Phillips unmarked on the left side of Burnley's penalty box and he expertly cut inside Jordan before curling a delightful right-foot shot into the corner. The goal poured confidence into Mowbray's men and their superior skill and scintillating passing threatened to cut Burnley apart time and again. One such move swift passing move materialised shortly after the half hour mark but after Jonathan Greening sent Tininho clear down the left flank, and his low cut-back was hammered goalwards by Phillips only for two Clarets defenders to deflect his effort to safety. The Clarets were dealt a blow on the half hour mark when centre-half and skipper Steven Caldwell went on injured and was replaced by Kyle Lafferty.

However, Burnley continued to probe and drew level just two minutes after the restart when Duff rose highest to head home Blake's corner at the far post. The pendulum swung back towards Burnley as the game wore on and they created a string of half-chances without ever cutting Albion apart. But when Cotterill withdrew Blake with 18 minutes remaining and replaced him with Akinbiyi, Burnley moved up a couple of gears. Akinbiyi refused to allow the visitors to settle and his strong running forced Clement into a mistake which allowed Gray to settle matters from the spot.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Brian Jensen joined Albion in March 2000 from Danish side AZ Alkmaar. 'The Beast' made over 50 first team appearances whilst at The Hawthorns, becoming a huge fans' favourite in the process. However, following the arrival of Russell Hoult, Jensen found himself out of favour at the club and eventually moved to Burnley in May 2003 for whom he has now made over 200 appearances.

PAST CONNECTIONS