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WEST BROMWICH ALBION v WEST HAM UNITED
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 26th April 2014, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 96th competitive meeting of the two clubs. Both sides have recorded 37 victories in the fixture.

Albion have won just one of their last 10 Premier League matches with West Ham. Their last victory was a 3-2 win on 13 September 2008.

Five of the last six meetings between the two sides have ended in draws.

Albion last played a game on April 26 in 2010 when they drew 1-1 in a Championship clash away at Crystal Palace. The Baggies' last win on this date came in 1997 when they beat Grimsby Town 2-0 in a League Division One meeting at The Hawthorns.

West Ham's last game on this date came in 2008 when they played out a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United at Upton Park.

Albion's last six games: Manchester City (A) 1-3; Tottenham Hotspur (H) 3-3; Norwich City (A) 1-0; Cardiff City (H) 3-3; Hull City (A) 0-2; Swansea City (A) 2-1.

West Ham's last six games: Crystal Palace (H) 0-1; Arsenal (A) 1-3; Liverpool (H) 1-2; Sunderland (A) 2-1; Hull City (H) 2-1; Manchester United (H) 0-2.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Albion will be without defender Liam Ridgewell who suffered a knee injury in the defeat at Manchester City last Monday.

Fellow defender Gareth McAuley is also a major doubt due to the calf problem that forced him to miss the game at the Etihad Stadium.

Squad from: Foster, Myhill, Reid, McAuley, Dawson, Olsson, Morrison, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Sessegnon, Anichebe, Vydra, Berahino, Bifouma, Amalfitano, Lugano, Jones, Yacob, Sinclair.

West Ham United

United midfielder Matt Taylor will be missing after he was given compassionate leave to be with his ill daughter.

On-loan forward Marco Borriello is out, but defender Guy Demel could return after overcoming a virus.

Squad from: Adrian, Reid, Tomkins, Armero, McCartney, Noble, Diame, Nolan, Downing, Jarvis, Carroll, Jaaskelainen, Nocerino, C Cole, J Cole, O'Brien, Johnson, Demel, Taylor.

QUOTES

Baggies' boss Pepe Mel:

“I really hope West Ham show less intensity but knowing Sam Allardyce I really don’t think that will be the case. Sam Allardyce is a winner and he will want to win the game so I am sure they will play with a deal of intensity and, for the first time in my life, I really do hope Adrian has a bad afternoon.

“Defending against Andy Carroll is very difficult. We mentioned defending against Benteke when we played Aston Villa and what we’ve got to try to do is be united defensively and, whether it be Olsson, Lugano or Dawson who is defending against them, it’s important that we’re united.

“There are two ways to approach the game, either with Chris Brunt playing at left-back or Chris Brunt in his normal position. When I arrived here [Goran] Popov and [Markus] Rosenberg were players who weren’t really involved in the set-up. I have no problem with Popov. He’s a player who has a really professional attitude. But the fact is that he hasn’t played and, with three games to go, it would be crazy to put him back in. I will have to weigh things up and see what we win by putting Chris Brunt at left-back and what we would lose. There are a lot of options. There is Billy Jones and Steven Reid and we will have to choose the best option. We have to choose a team to go out and win and that involves putting out players who are physically and mentally prepared.”

www.wba.co.uk

West Ham captain Kevin Nolan:

"We know they're fast starters, in the last few games they've gone up early doors and we can't afford to let that happen to us on Saturday because it's always hard to get back into it in the Premier League.

"They've had a couple of defeats in their last couple of games, but it's never easy in the Premier League, whoever you're playing. Every loose ball, everything is competed for, so we've got to make sure we match that on Saturday and if we do I'm sure our quality will shine through in the end.

"We need to silence them and then the anxiety levels go up. We sort of owe them one, because I thought we deserved to beat them at our place just after Christmas.

"I scored that day and they've dried up of late, but it's not through the lack of trying. The chances have not been there, so I'm hoping that me and the big man can get back into our routine, I get a couple of chances on Saturday and I stick them in the back of the net.

"Then we can all go home happy looking forward to another season in the Premier League."

www.whufc.com

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 10/11, West Ham United Win: 16/5, Draw: 23/10.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Vydra 6/1, Anichebe 6/1, Sessegnon 7/1, Thievy 7/1, Berahino 8/1, Brunt 12/1, Dorrans 12/1, Sinclair 12/1, Morrison 14/1, Amalfitano 16/1, Mulumbu 20/1, Dawson 25/1, McAuley 25/1, Jones 33/1, Lugano 33/1, Yacob 33/1.

West Ham United: Carroll 7/1, C Cole 9/1, Nolan 9/1, J Cole 10/1, Vaz Te 10/1, Diame 12/1, Jarvis 14/1, Noble 16/1, Downing 16/1, Nocerino 16/1, Reid 33/1, Collins 33/1, Tomkins 33/1, Armero 33/1, Johnson 33/1.

www.williamhill.com

REFEREE

Mike Dean (Wirral)

Dean has taken charge of three Albion games so far this season - the 2-0 defeat at home to Swansea City in September, the 3-3 draw with West Ham at Upton Park in December and the 1-1 draw at home to Fulham in February.

The Wirral official has also overseen three West Ham games during 2013/14 - the aforementioned 3-3 draw with Albion in December, the 2-0 win at Aston Villa in February and the 2-1 win at home to Hull City last month.

Dean has issued 125 yellow and seven red cards in the 35 games he has officiated this season.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets will remain on general sale to home supporters until kick-off.

WEATHER FORECAST

Sunny with the occasional light shower, 13°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

The first ever meeting between the teams came in a friendly match in London in March 1896, Albion beating the Hammers, who at that time were known as Thames Ironworks, 4-2. The game was played under electric floodlighting.

Albion and the 'Hammers' first met in competitive action during the 1912/13 season. The then non-league West Ham knocked Albion out of the FA Cup, winning 3-0 in a 1st round 2nd replay at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea.

The 1923/24 season saw the first league meetings between the two clubs. United won the first game at Upton Park 1-0 before playing out a 0-0 draw a week later at The Hawthorns.

Albion's biggest win over the Hammers is 7-1, achieved at The Hawthorns in October 1925, Welsh international Stan Davies scoring a hat-trick. The Baggies have also recorded two 5-1 victories, in November 1931 at Upton Park and in May 1985 at The Hawthorns.

The Hammers' biggest win over Albion came in April 1965 when they ran out 6-1 winners at Upton Park with Brian Dear scoring five of the goals. United also beat Albion 5-2 in East London in November 1988 in the short-lived Simod Cup competition, Leroy Rosenior hitting four of the hosts' goals in that game.

Albion have won just two of the eleven Premier League meetings between the two clubs, one of them the first meeting at this level back in September 2002 at Upton Park when Jason Roberts scored the only goal of the game.

The Baggies' last win at Upton Park came in November 2003, Gary Megson's men winning a thrilling game 4-3 after being 3-0 down.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

(Click on game to view)

Saturday 13 September 2008 - Albion 3-2 West Ham United - Premier League - The Hawthorns
Saturday 8 November 2003 - West Ham United 3-4 Albion - League Division One - Upton Park
Saturday 2 January 1993 - Albion 0-2 West Ham United - FA Cup 3rd Round - The Hawthorns
Saturday 1 December 1990 - West Ham United 3-1 Albion - Second Division - Upton Park
Saturday 3 May 1986 - Albion 2-3 West Ham United - First Division - The Hawthorns
Tuesday 8 January 1980 - West Ham United 2-1 Albion - FA Cup 3rd Round Replay - Upton Park
Saturday 12 November 1977 - West Ham United 3-3 Albion - First Division - Upton Park
Wednesday 23 March 1966 - Albion 4-1 West Ham United - League Cup Final 2nd Leg - The Hawthorns

LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 0-0 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 16th December 2012, 4.00pm

Albion: Myhill; Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Popov; Gera (Lukaku 75), Morrison, Mulumbu, Brunt (c); Odemwingie, Long (Rosenberg 83). Subs not used: L Daniels (gk), Dorrans, Fortune, Tamas, Dawson.

Booked: Jones (foul 74), Mulumbu (unsporting behaviour 84), Olsson (dissent 90+4)

West Ham United: Jaaskelainen; Demel (Tomkins 81), Reid, Collins, O’Brien; O'Neil, Noble, Nolan; Taylor, Cole, Jarvis (Maiga 76). Subs not used: Spiegel (gk), Spence, Moncur, Lletget.

Booked: O’Brien (foul 30), Nolan (unsporting behaviour 84), Tomkins (foul 86)

Attendance: 24,816

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

James Morrison was twice denied by the woodwork but West Brom failed to score for a third successive game in a dire stalemate with West Ham. The Baggies at least had the consolation of ending a run of three successive defeats and maintained their place in the top six. But Sam Allardyce's side were worth a share of the spoils in a game which seldom moved out of second gear. Morrison posed Albion's most creative threat despite operating in a deeper role in the absence of the injured Claudio Yacob. But the Hammers showed plenty of resilience with central defender James Collins a rock solid performer.

The home players wore black armbands in tribute to long-serving club masseur Derrick Jones who died earlier this week. West Ham were only able to field six substitutes due to their current injury crisis after Mohamed Diame was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Albion made a promising start but the first semblance of a chance fell to the visitors with Mark Noble heading a deep cross from Carlton Cole over the bar. West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie was on target with a low 25-yard drive although Jussi Jaaskelainen got his body behind the ball. But there was little goalmouth action in the opening quarter of the game as both sides struggled to find a creative spark although Morrison ventured forward to fire a low shot past the post. Shane Long created space for himself on the edge of the Hammers' box after turning past Noble but dragged his drive into the side-netting. Joey O'Brien became the first player to be yellow carded after half an hour for a touch-line challenge on Baggies midfielder Zoltan Gera. Chris Brunt drilled a long-range attempt into the hands of Jaaskelainen before Winston Reid spurned a gilt-edged chance for West Ham. Collins headed a Noble corner back into the danger area and Reid volleyed over the bar.

Carlton Cole stung the palms of Albion keeper Boaz Myhill with a 30-yard drive but it was Albion who started the second period on the offensive and Morrison's hooked volley struck the top of the bar. Then the Scottish international sliced his shot wide after Gareth McAuley had headed a fourth successive corner from Brunt into his path. Reid got into another good position to attack an inswinging corner from Noble but could not keep down his near-post header. Jaaskelainen failed to hold onto a powerful attempt from Gera but Long could not take advantage of the rebound. Reid produced a vital clearance to turn a low Odemwingie centre over his own bar under pressure from Long. But West Ham looked dangerous on the counter-attack and Joey O'Brien volleyed over at full stretch from a deep Noble free-kick. Morrison struck the bar for the second time with 17 minutes remaining with a header from Brunt's corner. Youssouf Mulumbu, Kevin Nolan and Hammers substitute James Tomkins were all booked in quick succession by referee Phil Dowd in the final stages of the game. Cole nearly made the breakthrough in the final seconds when his snap shot had Myhill scrambling across his line to save at the foot of a post but a draw was a fair outcome.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was Albion's player / reserve team coach for two years under Brian Talbot from 1989-1991. Dudley-born Allardyce made just one substitute appearance for the club.

Baggies' left-back Liam Ridgewell started his playing career as a youth player at Upton Park.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Jeroen Boere, David Burrows, Peter Butler, Franz Carr, David Cross, Alan Dickens, Fred Fenton, Danny Gabbidon, Bobby Gould, Tommy Green, Sir Geoff Hurst, Harry Kinsell, Peter McManus, Frank Nouble, Nigel Quashie, George Reid, Charles 'Chippy' Simmons, David Speedie, Gary Strodder, Steve Walford and Chris Whyte.

Ex-Albion boss Archie Macaulay was a West Ham player; Stuart Pearson, who had a spell as assistant boss at The Hawthorns also played for the Hammers; Another former Albion assistant manager Frank Burrows had a spell as reserve team boss at Upton Park; Ex-United goalkeepers Tony Parks and Gerry Peyton both coached at The Hawthorns; Former Albion first team coach Peter Grant was assistant manager to Alan Pardew at Upton Park from 2004-2006; Former Baggies' boss Steve Clarke was assistant manager to Gianfranco Zola at United for two seasons between 2008 and 2010; Assistant head coach at The Hawthorns to Clarke, Kevin Keen, made over 200 league appearances as a player for West Ham between 1983 and 1993. Keen also coached at various levels at Upton Park and acted as caretaker-manager on three occasions.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS WEST HAM UNITED

 VENUE P W D  L F A
 Home 46 23 11 12 84 53
 Away 49 14 10 25 71 101
 Total 95 37 21 37 155 154

LAST TEN MATCHES AGAINST WEST HAM UNITED

DATE COMPETITION H/A F-A GOALSCORERS   GATE
Sat 28 Dec 2013 Premier League A 3-3 Anelka 2, Berahino - J Cole, Maïga, Nolan  34,946
Sat 30 Mar 2013 Premier League A 1-3 Dorrans (pen) - Carroll 2, O'Neil  34,966
Sun 16 Dec 2012 Premier League H 0-0    24,816
Sat 12 Feb 2011 Premier League H 3-3 Dorrans, Thomas, W Reid (og) - Ba 2, Cole  23,916
Wed 10 Nov 2010 Premier League A 2-2 Odemwingie (pen), Ibanez - Parker, Piquionne (pen)  33,023
Mon 16 Mar 2009 Premier League A 0-0    30,842
Sat 13 Sep 2008 Premier League H 3-2 Morrison, Bednar (pen), Brunt - Noble, Neill  26,213
Mon 01 May 2006 Premier League H 0-1 Reo-Coker  24,462
Sat 05 Nov 2005 Premier League A 0-1 Sheringham  34,325
Sat 06 Dec 2003 League Division 1 H 1-1 Mullins (og) - Deane  26,194
 
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