WEST BROMWICH ALBION v NORWICH CITY
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 19th March 2016, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 62nd league and cup meeting between the two clubs. The Baggies currently lead the way in the victory stakes with 26 wins compared to the Canaries' 20. There have been 32 competitive games at The Hawthorns with Albion winning 16 and Norwich eight.

The clubs have met nine times previously in the Premier League with both sides winning four games.

Albion's last game on this date took place in 2011 when Roy Hodgson's team played out a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at The Hawthorns, Steven Reid and Peter Odemwingie the Baggies' goalscorers. The club's last win on March 19 came in 2005 when a Bryan Robson-led side pulled off a memorable 4-1 win over Charlton Athletic at The Valley - Rob Earnshaw hitting a hat-trick as the club's 'Great Escape' gained momentum.

City's last game on this date also came back in 2011 - the Canaries recording a 1-1 draw at Hull City with Zak Whitbread the scorer.

The away team in this fixture has won five of the last seven league meetings.

Albion are unbeaten in their last six home games (W4, D2).

Norwich have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League matches, picking up just two points.

Gareth McAuley will make his 150th league appearance for the Baggies if he plays a part in the game. If he does feature, McAuley will also become Albion's oldest-ever outfield Premier League player, surpassing Bob Taylor.

Albion's last six games: Manchester United (H) 1-0; Leicester City (A) 2-2; Crystal Palace (H) 3-2; Reading (A, FAC) 1-3; Everton (A) 1-0; Peterborough United (A, FAC) 1-1, (4-3 on penalties).

Norwich's last six games: Manchester City (H) 0-0; Swansea City (A) 0-1; Chelsea (H) 1-2; Leicester City (A) 0-1; West Ham United (H) 2-2; Aston Villa (A) 0-2.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Jonny Evans could return following his hamstring problem whilst fellow defender Craig Dawson should be fit after picking up a knock last time out against Manchester United.

James Morrison (hamstring) and Callum McManaman (ankle) remain out along with long-term injury victim Chris Brunt.

Norwich City

Winger Nathan Redmond is missing for the Canaries after suffering an ankle injury last weekend against Manchester City and is likely to be joined on the sidelines by defender Ryan Bennett who has not trained this week.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 5/4, Norwich City Win: 23/10, Draw: 11/5.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Berahino 5/1, Rondon 5/1, Lambert 6/1, Anichebe 6/1, Sessegnon 8/1, Gardner 9/1, Pritchard 10/1, McClean 11/1, Fletcher 14/1, Dawson 20/1, Sandro 20/1, McAuley 25/1, Yacob 33/1, Olsson 33/1, Evans 33/1.

Norwich City: Mbokani 7/1, Bamford 7/1, Jerome 15/2, Naismith 9/1, Hoolahan 11/1, Howson 12/1, Brady 12/1, Dorrans 14/1, Jarvis 14/1, Odjidja-Ofoe 14/1, O'Neil 25/1, Martin 25/1, Mulumbu 25/1, Bennett 33/1, Bassong 33/1.

No goalscorer: 7/1.

www.williamhill.com

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Assistant Referees: Peter Kirkup (Northamptonshire) & Matthew Wilkes (West Midlands)
Fourth Official: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)

Taylor has refereed three Albion games so far this season - the 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Reading last month, the 2-2 draw at Chelsea in January and the 3-2 defeat at home to Leicester City in October.

He refereed three Albion games during 2014/15 - the 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in May, the 2-0 FA Cup quarter final defeat at Aston Villa in March and the 2-0 defeat at home to Everton in September.

The Cheshire official has taken charge of two Norwich games this season - the 6-2 defeat at Newcastle United in October and the 1-1 draw at Liverpool in September.

Taylor has issued 124 yellow cards and four red in the 36 games he has officiated so far this season.

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

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are on general sale to home supporters priced at £27/£25 adults, £21/£20 seniors (over-60s), £16/£15 students/under-21s and £10 juniors.

WEATHER FORECAST

Thick cloud, 6°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 0-2 Norwich City
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 7th December 2013, 3:00pm

Albion: Myhill; Jones, McAuley, Lugano, Ridgewell (Long HT); Yacob, Mulumbu; Amalfitano (Berahino HT), Sessegnon, Brunt (c); Anichebe (Vydra 80). Subs not used: L Daniels (gk), Dawson, Popov, Morrison.

Booked: Brunt 27 (foul)

Norwich City: Ruddy; Whittaker (Martin 89), Turner, Bassong (c), Olsson; Redmond, Howson, Johnson, Fer; Hooper (Becchio 89); Elmander (Josh Murphy 75). Subs not used: Nash (gk), Hoolahan, Garrido, R Bennett.

Goalscorers: Hooper 13, Fer 89

Booked: Whittaker 53 (foul), Ruddy 74 (time-wasting), Murphy 78 (foul)

Attendance: 23,675

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (County Durham)

Norwich bounced back from their Anfield nightmare as goals from Gary Hooper and Leroy Fer earned them a valuable win over West Brom at The Hawthorns. Hooper scored the opener in the 13th minute, smashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner, before Fer finished off a sharp counter late on to seal a 2-0 victory. West Brom had countless chances to take at least a point from this game with Stephane Sessegnon twice failing to convert great opportunities and Shane Long also guilty of being profligate in front of goal. It is now one win in nine games for the Baggies, and Steve Clarke's side were booed off at full-time. The midweek hiding against a Luis Suarez-inspired Liverpool had put Canaries boss Chris Hughton's position under further scrutiny, but he would have been delighted with the way his side responded here to secure an away win for just the second time this season.

After starting brightly they took the lead with a wonderful strike from Hooper. Nathan Redmond fed Fer, who picked out the striker's run with the aid of a deflection off Diego Lugano's heel. The angle of the pass was taking Hooper away from goal but he fizzed a superb strike beyond Boaz Myhill. Albion sought a quick response with Youssouf Mulumbu, back from suspension, firing straight at John Ruddy after nice link play with Morgan Amalfitano. The Frenchman's teasing cross from the right then saw Victor Anichebe get in a header which Ruddy gratefully grasped. Norwich were being penned in their own half but Johan Elmander should have done better from a quick break. The Swede's flick on found Hooper, who quickly returned him the ball. However, Elmander then ignored his better placed strike partner as he drove forward and saw his shot blocked. The hosts were soon back on the offensive, with Ruddy tipping a fierce Anichebe shot wide of goal, before Sessegnon contrived to fail to make any contact with a Chris Brunt corner which found him unmarked. It summed up West Brom's first half and Clarke made two changes at the break, bringing on Long and Saido Berahino for Liam Ridgewell and, surprisingly, Amalfitano.

They helped spark Albion into a very strong start to the second half and they could have had a penalty when a Sessegnon shot, after a goalmouth scramble, struck Martin Olsson on the arm as he made the block. They should have been level in the 52nd minute when Sessegnon surged past two Norwich defenders into the box, but the Frenchman rolled his shot wide of the post having beaten the advancing Ruddy. At the other end Redmond's pace proved too much to handle for Uruguay defender Lugano, whose vulnerability will doubtless be noted by England manager Roy Hodgson, but the winger's pull-back could not find Hooper. Sessegnon then spurned another chance after Olsson had gifted the ball to him six yards out, with Ruddy making the save. Long became the latest man to miss for West Brom a few moments later. Mulumbu's deflected shot fell to him in the area, but his shot was too tame to beat Ruddy. Mulumbu fizzed an effort wide but all the home side's pressure came to nothing and they were punished as Redmond found Fer for the midfielder to cut inside and fire low beyond a flat-footed Myhill with a minute remaining.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Glasgow-born Graham Dorrans joined Albion from Livingston in the summer of 2008 and went on to make 189 appearances for the Baggies over the next seven years. He was a vital figure in Roberto Di Matteo's promotion-winning side of 2010, the midfielder hitting 18 goals in a memorable season. In February 2015, Dorrans joined the Canaries on loan until the end of the 2014/15 season, eventually going on to make the move permanent in May 2015 for a rumoured fee of £3million.

Youssouf Mulumbu joined Albion in February 2009, initially on loan, from French giants Paris Saint-Germain. He made a permanent move to The Hawthorns in July 2009 for a fee of £175,000. The Zaire-born midfielder was a key figure as the Baggies finally established themselves as a Premier League force, making 211 appearances for the club before leaving for Norwich on a free transfer at the end of the 2014/15 season.

Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom spent the 2014/15 season on loan at The Hawthorns before joining Norwich on a similar deal for the 2015/16 campaign.

Norwich goalkeeper coach Dean Kiely spent four years as a player with Albion before moving onto the coaching staff. He left The Hawthorns in January 2015 following the appointment of Tony Pulis as Albion boss.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Mark Barham, Leon Barnett, Geoff Barnsley, Trevor Benjamin, Ron Bradley, Lee Camp, Paul Crichton, David Cross, John Deehan, Fernando Derveld, Edgar Duffett, Robert Earnshaw, Jimmy Edwards, Ken Foggo, Ruel Fox, Asa Hartford, John Hartson, Gerry Howshall, Andy Johnson, James Lamberton, Lee Marshall, Denis Parnell, Paul Peschisolido, Mike Phelan, Mel Rees, Colin Suggett, Billy Taylor, Andy Townsend, Steve Walford and Brian Whitehouse.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS NORWICH CITY

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday 19th March

12:45pm - Everton v Arsenal.

3:00pm - Chelsea v West Ham United; Crystal Palace v Leicester City; Watford v Stoke City; Albion v Norwich City.

5:30pm - Swansea City v Aston Villa.

Sunday 20th March

1:30pm - Newcastle United v Sunderland; Southampton v Liverpool.

4:00pm - Manchester City v Manchester United; Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth.

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