West Bromwich

Big Blow: West Brom to face Portsmouth on Sunday Without Johnston

West Bromwich Albion will be hoping to get another three points on the board this weekend, as they prepare to make the trip to Portsmouth.

The Baggies have won three of their opening four league matches and having only dropped points against Leeds United, who are strong contenders for promotion, they can be very pleased with their start.

Carlos Corberan hasn’t had a huge amount of money to play with during his time at The Hawthorns, but he has still been able to thrive in the Midlands and following a strong start, a top-six finish has to be the aim at the end of this term with new owners now in place.

Pompey, meanwhile, will be hoping to survive following their promotion from League One at the end of last season, but it remains to be seen whether they can stay afloat under John Mousinho.

Ahead of this clash at Fratton Park, we have predicted the visitors’ starting lineup.

Alex Palmer looks set to start between the sticks again, although the Baggies’ number-one stopper knows that Joe Wildsmith can replace him if needed.

Wildsmith was a real asset for Derby County and could be a decent shot-stopper to have in the second tier as well.

Norwegian defender Torbjorn Heggem isn’t a natural left-back.

However, he has thrived on the left-hand side and having helped his team to keep a clean sheet against Swansea City before the international break, he deserves to keep his starting spot.

Kyle Bartley also played a big part in Albion’s clean sheet before the break – and it would be a surprise if he doesn’t start again.

With his experience, he could be crucial at Fratton Park, which could end up being a tough atmosphere for the visitors to play in.

Semi Ajayi is another imposing centre-back and is a key part of the jigsaw for Corberan.

Helping Nigeria to keep a clean sheet against Rwanda in midweek, he will be hoping to keep another one on the English south coast this weekend.

Darnell Furlong has been a key figure for Albion in recent seasons and he should probably start again this weekend.

Growing into a brilliant full-back at this level, he is one player who has certainly kicked on under Corberan.

Irishman Jayson Molumby may not be having the best time with the Republic of Ireland, who were poor during the international break, but he’s an extremely valuable player at The Hawthorns.

He has proved to be an excellent permanent signing – and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him shine on the south coast.

Midfielder Alex Mowatt has a wealth of experience at this level and he has proved that he can be a real asset in the final third.

He may not have scored this term, but the 29-year-old is a threat that Pompey will need to keep tabs on.

Karlan Grant has managed to kickstart his spell at Albion and has already scored this season.

Also establishing himself as a real attacking asset against Swansea before the international break, he looks set to keep his starting spot.

Mikey Johnston could replace him at some point and that outcome is likely to happen in the coming weeks, but Grant deserves the chance to start again.

John Swift is another player who has a huge amount of second-tier experience under his belt and he can be a threat from set-pieces and open play.

Able to be a game-changer when in top form, the ex-Reading man should be able to make a real impact at Pompey.

Tom Fellows attracted Premier League interest during the summer transfer window and that’s no surprise, with the player thriving during the early stages of this term.

Still only 21 at this stage, the winger still has plenty of time to improve and plenty of people will back him to make a meaningful difference against Mousinho’s side on Sunday.

Tom Fellows’ 2023/24 + 2024/25 record at West Brom (All competitions)
Season Appearances Goals Assists
2023/24 39 5 4
2024/25 4 0 3
(As of September 12th, 2024)

Josh Maja has scored four goals in his first four league games of the season, with his hat-trick on the opening day of the campaign impressing many.

If he can get himself on the scoresheet again this weekend, it will only help to boost the striker’s confidence further.

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