WEST BROMWICH ALBION v STOKE CITY
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 2nd January 2016, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

Saturday's game at The Hawthorns will be the 140th competitive meeting between the two sides. The Potters currently have 60 wins to their name compared to the Baggies' 44. There have been 13 Premier League meetings of which Albion have won three and Stoke seven.

Albion's last game on this date came in 2010 when goals from Graham Dorrans and Chris Wood gave the Baggies a 2-0 FA Cup 3rd round win at Huddersfield Town.

The Baggies' last league game on January 2 took place in 2006 when they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at The Hawthorns whilst the club's last league win on this date came back in 1989 when Brian Talbot's side went top of the old Second Division with a 4-0 home win over Shrewsbury Town.

Stoke's last game on this date came in 2012 when a Peter Crouch double gave City a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Albion will be attempting to win three successive league games against Stoke for the first time since the early 1930s whilst the Baggies are also attempting to complete their first league double over the Potters since the 1976/77 season.

The Baggies have conceded 16 Premier League home goals this season - Only Everton (19) have conceded more.

In ten games, Tony Pulis has been on the losing side just once in this fixture. His record as Stoke City manager was W5, D2, L1 and as Albion boss it is W2, D0, L0.

Albion's last six games: Newcastle United (H) 1-0; Swansea City (A) 0-1; Bournemouth (H) 1-2; Liverpool (A) 2-2; Tottenham Hotspur (H) 1-1; West Ham United (A) 1-1.

Stoke's last six games: Everton (A) 4-3; Manchester United (H) 2-0; Crystal Palace (H) 1-2; West Ham United (A) 0-0; Manchester City (H) 2-0; Sheffield Wednesday (H, LC) 2-0.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

With Salomon Rondon suspended and Victor Anichebe struggling with a hamstring problem Saido Berahino may start for the first time since the end of October.

James McClean serves the last game of his three match suspension whilst Jonas Olsson (hamstring) could also miss out.

Squad: Myhill, Lindegaard, Gamboa, Dawson, Chester, Olsson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt, Yacob, Fletcher, Gardner, Morrison, McManaman, Gnabry, Sessegnon, Berahino, Lambert, Anichebe.

Stoke City

Marko Arnautovic is expected to be available for the Potters despite suffering from a tight hamstring.

Marc Muniesa and Stephen Ireland have returned to training following injuries but are unlikely to feature.

Squad: Butland, Haugaard, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Cameron, Pieters, Joselu, Bardsley, Wilson, Whelan, Afellay, Van Ginkel, Adam, Walters, Sidwell, Arnautovic, Bojan, Shaqiri, Diouf.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win:9/5 , Stoke City Win: 17/10, Draw: 2/1.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Lambert 6/1, Berahino 6/1, Sessegnon 7/1, McManaman 9/1, Gnabry 9/1, Morrison 10/1, Gardner 11/1, Dawson 16/1, Brunt 20/1, Fletcher 20/1, Yacob 25/1, McAuley 25/1, Chester 28/1, Evans 28/1.

Stoke City: Bojan 11/2, Walters 6/1, Diouf 6/1, Joselu 7/1, Arnautovic 7/1, Crouch 7/1, Afellay 8/1, Shaqiri 8/1, Adam 11/1, van Ginkel 12/1, Cameron 20/1, Bardsley 25/1, Shawcross 25/1, Johnson 33/1, Whelan 33/1.

No Goalscorer: 13/2.

www.williamhill.com

REFEREE

Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Mason last refereed an Albion game in November 2014 - the club's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, a match that saw the sending-off of Claudio Yacob.

He has taken charge of ten Albion games at The Hawthorns of which the Baggies have lost just twice.

The Lancashire official has taken charge of two Stoke games this season - the 1-0 win at Southampton in November and the 2-1 home win over Bournemouth in September.

He has refereed one previous Albion v Stoke City game - the Baggies' 1-0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium in November 2008.

Mason has issued 50 yellow cards and one red in the 16 games he has officiated so far this season.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets remain on sale to season ticket holders, members and supporters on the club database, priced at £39 adults, £29 seniors (over 60s), £25 students/under-21s and £15 juniors.

WEATHER FORECAST

Light rain, 9°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 1-0 Stoke City
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 14th March 2015, 3:00pm

Albion: Foster (Myhill 55), Dawson, McAuley, Lescott, Brunt, Morrison, Fletcher, Gardner, Sessegnon, Berahino (Baird 90+5), Ideye (Olsson 90). Subs not used: Wisdom, Pocognoli, Mulumbu, Gamboa.

Goalscorer: Ideye 19

Booked: Myhill 90+3 (foul)

Stoke City: Begovic, Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters (Cameron 45), Nzonzi, Whelan, Walters (Diouf 68), Adam, Moses Arnautovic (58), Crouch. Subs not used: Butland, Ireland, Sidwell, Teixeira.

Booked: Wilson 63 (foul), Diouf 74 (foul)

Attendance: 24,323

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)

Brown Ideye's first-half winner sealed a narrow 1-0 victory for West Brom as Tony Pulis returned to haunt Stoke again. The striker's seventh goal of the season settled the game to move the Baggies 11 points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone. Ex-Potters manager Pulis - who also beat Stoke 1-0 while at Crystal Palace last season - saw Albion recover from back-to-back defeats against Aston Villa. They were also denied a penalty after Craig Dawson appeared to be fouled in the box and Ideye had a goal disallowed. The Potters, who remain eighth, were poor but Jonathan Walters did force substitute goalkeeper Boaz Myhill into a smart second-half save.

Ben Foster, Darren Fletcher and Stephane Sessegnon were all recalled for Albion as Myhill and Jonas Olsson dropped to the bench while Claudio Yacob was banned. Ryan Shawcross returned for the first time since January after a back problem and replaced Philipp Wollscheid, who was out with a groin injury. But, despite the return of their captain, Stoke were rattled early as Albion looked for the breakthrough. Asmir Begovic turned Saido Berahino's shot wide and then claimed the forward's drive as the Baggies dominated. Victor Moses fired over but the visitors were ragged, unable to gain enough possession or territory to make a meaningful impact. And the Baggies took advantage after 19 minutes when Ideye ended his four-game goal drought. It took some shocking defending from Phil Bardsley, though, to give Albion the lead as the defender backed off Ideye, allowing him to stoop and nod Craig Gardner's cross into the corner from 10 yards. Albion deserved the lead and Stoke did little to suggest they would fight their way back before the break. And they survived a scare when Ideye had a goal ruled out - correctly - for offside, after Begovic had spilled the ball in the 35th minute. Begovic's mistake was symptomatic of the disjointed Stoke display with the hosts well on top.

But the Baggies suffered a blow 10 minutes into the second half when Foster was forced off after landing awkwardly, to be replaced by Myhill. Berahino headed wide as the hosts reacted well but Stoke had improved since the break and began to pin their hosts back. Myhill turned Walters' header over after 62 minutes before the goalkeeper and Gareth McAuley were forced into scrambling clearances. It was a brief recovery from the visitors, though, as they faded badly. Begovic produced a fine low save to deny Ideye a second with 25 minutes left and West Brom should have had a penalty 10 minutes later. Dawson collected Sessegnon's knockdown only to be felled by Geoff Cameron but referee Michael Oliver ignored the claims. The hosts had regained their composure after a second-half wobble and Myhill claimed Peter Crouch's header. And Albion survived one final scare in stoppage time when Myhill clattered into Crouch just outside the area and was booked but the Baggies hung on.

 Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Albion boss Tony Pulis spent two spells as Stoke City manager (2002-05 & 2006-13). He led the Potteries club to the Premier League in 2008 and to the FA Cup Final in 2011.

David Kemp, Mark O'Connor and Gerry Francis have worked on the coaching staff under Pulis at both clubs.

Baggies' keeper Ben Foster started his professional career with Stoke but failed to make a single first team appearance.

Boaz Myhill spent a short spell on loan at City from Aston Villa in January 2002 but like Foster failed to make a first team appearance.

City striker Peter Odemwingie spent  three years at The Hawthorns after joining Albion from Lokomotiv Moscow in August 2010. His first two seasons at the club were hugely successful but after falling out with the club's hierarchy and supporters he left for Cardiff City in September 2013. Just four months after joining the Welsh side Odemwingie left to join Stoke.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Keith Andrews, George Baddeley, Gary Bannister, Paul Barron, Tommy Broad, Fred Brown, Garth Crooks, Neil Cutler, Bill Davies, Paul Dyson, Wayne Ebanks, Fred Fenton, Graham Fenton, Ross Fielding, Sean Flynn, Peter Ford, Tony Ford, Ricardo Fuller, Marton Fulop, Philip Griffiths, Gary Hackett, Graham Harbey, Willie Hendry, Carl Hoefkens, Paul Holsgrove, Russell Hoult, Geoff Hurst, Joe Johnson, Eric Jones, Tony Kelly, Neil Mackenzie, James O'Connor, Steve Parkin, Paul Peschisolido, Graham Potter, David Powell, Kevin Pressman, Paul Reece, Brian Rice, Fred Rouse, Maurice Setters, Barry Siddall, Larus Sigurdsson, Andy Smith, Andrew Smith, Derek Statham, Mickey Thomas, Arthur Turner, Isaiah Turner and Gavin Ward.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS STOKE CITY

OTHER PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday 2nd January

12:45pm - West Ham United v Liverpool.
3:00pm - Arsenal v Newcastle United; Leicester City v Bournemouth; Manchester United v Swansea City; Norwich City v Southampton; Sunderland v Aston Villa.
5:30pm - Watford v Manchester City.

Sunday 3rd January

1:30pm - Crystal Palace v Chelsea.
4:00pm - Everton v Tottenham Hotspur.

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