English Premier League: West Ham v West Bromwich
West Bromwich Albion, quagmired at the bottom of the Premier League with only 22 points, are travelling to East London where they will be entertained by the Hammers in a match of major significance for both sides.
West Brom are seven points away from safety and are staring at relegation. West Ham meanwhile are comfortably perched in seventh, well above the relegation zone, with a 10 point safety net behind them, and seven points from sixth-placed Everton and potential European football.
West Brom will be headed for Upton Park at the back of four consecutive Premiership defeats, and without a single victory in six matches. This is not the right mental makeup for a side which will play against West Ham, who are going to be on the crest of a third consecutive league win.
West Ham lost for the first time in 23 years at their travels to Albion when Chris Brunt scored the decisive goal, six minutes from time in the reverse fixture in September 2008.
Now the Baggies are hoping to beat West Ham away, not only to complete the double over the London side for the first time ever in the Premier League, but also to maintain any hopes of survival in the Premiership in the remaining 10 matches until the end of the season, a battle for survival which will be fought amongst them, Stoke City, Middlesbrough, and to an extent Portsmouth and Newcastle, who are on the brink of the death zone.
If statistics are anything to go by, West Ham versus West Brom is not exactly a mouth-watering, goals galore fiesta. All five of the previous matches in the Premiership between those two teams were settled by a solitary goal.
West Ham will be without Welsh midfielder Jack Collison, who damaged his right knee, while striker Carlton Cole is suspended. Moreover, Kieron Dyer (calf) and Diego Tristan (groin) have started training, although they are reportedly not fully match fit, according to the club's website, but will nevertheless be included in the squad.
For West Brom, defender Jonas Olsson is fit to return after missing action since early January with a knee injury. Strikers Jay Simpson and Roman Bednar are also back in the ranks.
West Brom are seven points away from safety and are staring at relegation. West Ham meanwhile are comfortably perched in seventh, well above the relegation zone, with a 10 point safety net behind them, and seven points from sixth-placed Everton and potential European football.
West Brom will be headed for Upton Park at the back of four consecutive Premiership defeats, and without a single victory in six matches. This is not the right mental makeup for a side which will play against West Ham, who are going to be on the crest of a third consecutive league win.
West Ham lost for the first time in 23 years at their travels to Albion when Chris Brunt scored the decisive goal, six minutes from time in the reverse fixture in September 2008.
Now the Baggies are hoping to beat West Ham away, not only to complete the double over the London side for the first time ever in the Premier League, but also to maintain any hopes of survival in the Premiership in the remaining 10 matches until the end of the season, a battle for survival which will be fought amongst them, Stoke City, Middlesbrough, and to an extent Portsmouth and Newcastle, who are on the brink of the death zone.
If statistics are anything to go by, West Ham versus West Brom is not exactly a mouth-watering, goals galore fiesta. All five of the previous matches in the Premiership between those two teams were settled by a solitary goal.
West Ham will be without Welsh midfielder Jack Collison, who damaged his right knee, while striker Carlton Cole is suspended. Moreover, Kieron Dyer (calf) and Diego Tristan (groin) have started training, although they are reportedly not fully match fit, according to the club's website, but will nevertheless be included in the squad.
For West Brom, defender Jonas Olsson is fit to return after missing action since early January with a knee injury. Strikers Jay Simpson and Roman Bednar are also back in the ranks.