WEST BROMWICH ALBION v WEST HAM UNITED
FA Cup 5th Round
Saturday 14th February 2015, 12:45pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 99th competitive meeting of the two clubs. Both Albion and the Hammers currently have 38 wins to their name.

Albion's last game on this date came in 2004 when goals from Neil Clement and Lee Hughes gave Gary Megson's promotion chasing side a 2-1 win over Cardiff City at The Hawthorns.

West Ham's last game on February 14 came in 2012 when a Mark Noble penalty earned the Hammers a point from a 1-1 draw with Southampton in a Championship clash at Upton Park.

Six of the last nine meetings between the two sides have ended in draws.

Albion have won only four of their last 18 FA Cup matches against teams from the top two tiers of English football (W4 D7 L7).

The Baggies are looking to reach the quarter-final stage of the competition for only the third time in 33 years.

Albion's last six games: Swansea City (H) 2-0; Burnley (A) 2-2; Tottenham Hotspur (H) 0-3; Birmingham City (A, FAC) 2-1; Everton (A) 0-0; Hull City (H) 1-0.

West Ham's last six games: Southampton (A) 0-0; Manchester United (H) 1-1; Liverpool (A) 0-2; Bristol City (A, FAC) 1-0; Hull City (H) 3-0; Everton (H, FAC) 2-2 (9-8 on pens).

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Recent signing and newly appointed captain Darren Fletcher is cup-tied so Chris Brunt will once again lead the side just a week after losing the armband.

Youssouf Mulumbu has returned to the club after being away on African Cup of Nations duty whilst Swedish defender Jonas Olsson may make his first start in four months after finally recovering from his Achilles injury.

Victor Anichebe is a major doubt due to a groin problem but Callum McManaman should feature despite picking up a knock in the win over Swansea last Wednesday.

West Ham United

Goalkeeper Adrian is available after having his appeal against his red card in Wednesday's goalless draw at Southampton upheld.

Kevin Nolan (foot) and Mark Noble (virus) could return after missing the game at Southampton but Andy Carroll is out after suffering a knee injury at St Mary's.

James Collins and Winston Reid (both hamstring) remain sidelined.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 6/4, West Ham United Win: 19/10, Draw: 11/5.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Berahino 11/2, Ideye 6/1, Anichebe 6/1, McManaman 15/2, Sessegnon 8/1, Gardner 11/1, Brunt 12/1, Dorrans 14/1, Morrison 16/1, Dawson 20/1, McAuley 25/1, Lescott 25/1, Mulumbu 25/1, Baird 33/1, Yacob 33/1, Olsson 33/1, Pocognoli 33/1.

West Ham United: Sakho 13/2, Valencia 7/1, Cole 8/1, Nolan 9/1, Downing 10/1, Noble 14/1, Jarvis 14/1, Amalfitano 14/1, Kouyate 16/1, Cresswell 25/1, Song 25/1, Tomkins 25/1, Jenkinson 33/1, Poyet 33/1, Collins 33/1, O'Brien 33/1, Reid 33/1.

No Goalscorer: 17/2.

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REFEREE

Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)

Atkinson will be taking charge of an Albion game for the first time this season.

He took charge of one Albion game during 2013/14 - the 2-1 win at Swansea City in March.

The West Yorkshire official has taken charge of four West Ham games this season - the 3-0 win at home against Hull City in January, the 2-0 win at home to Leicester City in December, the 2-1 win at home against Manchester City in October and the 2-2 draw at Hull in September.

Atkinson has handed out 114 yellow cards and three red in the 29 games he has refereed so far this season.

A full run-down of Atkinson's history refereeing the Baggies can be found here

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are on general sale priced at £20 (adults) £15 (seniors) £10 (under21s, students) and £5 for under 17s and will remain on general sale to supporters up until kick off.

WEATHER FORECAST

Light showers, 7°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 1-2 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
Tuesday 2nd December 2014, 8.00pm

Albion: Foster, Wisdom, Lescott, Dawson, Baird (Ideye 83), Gardner (Varela 65), Brunt (Mulumbu 45+2), Dorrans, Sessegnon, Anichebe, Berahino. Subs not used: Myhill, Gamboa, McAuley, Samaras.

Goalscorer: Dawson 10

Booked: Brunt 34 (foul)

West Ham United: Adrian, Reid, Cresswell, Nolan (c), Tomkins, Kouyate, Carroll (Valencia 65), Zarate (Cole 77), Downing, Jenkinson, Amalfitano (Collins 65). Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Jarvis, O'Brien, Demel.

Goalscorers: Nolan 35, Tomkins 45

Booked: Tomkins 18 (foul)

Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)

Attendance: 23,975

West Ham hit back to win 2-1 at West Brom and heap more pressure on Baggies boss Alan Irvine. Kevin Nolan and James Tomkins cancelled out Craig Dawson's early opener as the hosts slipped to their fourth straight defeat. The Hammers, though, remain fifth in the Barclays Premier League after another impressive victory. Dawson had become the first Albion player to score in 370 minutes but the Baggies' dream start turned into a nightmare before the break. They had recalled Chris Baird and Victor Anichebe with Sebastien Pocognoli, sidelined with a dead leg, and Youssouf Mulumbu, dropping to the bench. West Ham were without midfielder Mark Noble, who failed to recover from the calf injury he suffered in their 1-0 win over Newcastle. It meant Nolan returned with Winston Reid and Mauro Zarate.

The Baggies needed a quick start after their recent slump and they got it after 10 minutes. Anichebe and Graham Dorrans had already gone close before they grabbed the goal their start merited. The former was fouled on the left and Dawson arrived unmarked to crash in Dorrans' free-kick from six yards. The Baggies, so passive in losing to Arsenal on Saturday, seemed to have learned their lessons as they took the game to West Ham, only for their momentum to ebb away. They survived a scramble when Ben Foster saved from Nolan's hooked shot and Cheikhou Kouyate could not force a leveller. It lifted the Hammers after their slow start and they took control and, as against Arsenal, Albion wilted and inevitably conceded on 35 minutes. Referee Mike Jones awarded a free kick after Chris Brunt, who was booked, won the ball from Nolan. Downing's delivery found Tomkins and, when the ball fell to Andy Carroll, his fine acrobatic volley was saved by Foster - only for Nolan to head in from four yards. Worse was to follow, though, in stoppage time as the Hammers deservedly took the lead. Kouyate forced Foster into a smart save but the keeper was beaten from the resulting corner when Tomkins headed in Downing's cross. It was abject defending from the Baggies and underlined the soft underbelly of the squad which requires improvement next month.

That the Baggies lost the influential Brunt to injury just before the goal was a double blow but they should have levelled eight minutes after the break. Mulumbu, on for Brunt, chipped up to Joleon Lescott but Dawson could only volley his knock-down wide from 10-yards. It was a golden chance but one which summed up the hosts' waning confidence. Adrian got down smartly to save Anichebe's fierce angled drive with 27 minutes left but the hosts lacked sparkle. Substitute Silvestre Varela tried to add the missing creativity and his cross saw Anichebe head weakly at Adrian. The lack of cutting edge had Albion fans calling for record signing Brown Ideye and he was thrown on as the hosts tried to rescue the game in the final 10 minutes. It lifted the Baggies and Anichebe continued his duel with Adrian when he turned only for the keeper to save his sharp six-yard effort. And with four minutes left Dorrans sent a volley inches wide but with that missed chance went Albion's hopes of a recovery.

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.

Hammers midfielder Morgan Amalfitano spent the 2013/14 season on loan at The Hawthorns from Marseille, scoring four goals in 30 appearances. He joined West Ham last September for an undisclosed fee.

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, John Hartson, Sir Geoff Hurst, Harry Kinsell, Ted Martin, Peter McManus, Frank Nouble, Nigel Quashie, George Reid, Liam Ridgewell, Charles 'Chippy' Simmons, David Speedie, Gary Strodder, Steve Walford and Chris Whyte.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS WEST HAM UNITED