Laws: Boasts two new loan signings
West Brom will be looking to return to the summit of the Championship table when they take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Wednesday's new loan signings Warren Feeney and Tom Soares are expected to go straight into the squad for Saturday's game.
Cardiff striker Feeney and Stoke midfielder Soares have both arrived for an initial month and will give Brian Laws' squad a major boost.
Laws will be without midfielder Tommy Miller, who missed last week's goalless draw at former club Ipswich and is still struggling with a hamstring problem, while striker Francis Jeffers is hoping to overcome an ankle injury sustained in the reserves.
Laws, whose side have slipped to 17th place in the table, has no other new injury or suspension worries as his side look to secure their first league win in six matches.
West Brom have been struck down by a host of fresh injury and illness problems ahead of the trip north.
Jerome Thomas (back) and Filipe Teixeira (thigh) both missed training on Thursday and are doubts, while fellow midfielder Robert Koren has gone to see a specialist to get a full diagnosis on a hernia problem.
Left-back Joe Mattock is unlikely to involved having been stretchered off during last week's 4-1 victory over Bristol City with a badly-bruised foot.
Fellow defender Shelton Martis has also reported flu-like symptoms, similar to those Roman Bednar is still struggling with after he was forced to pull out of last Saturday's clash.
The news will come as a blow to manager Roberto Di Matteo who has already stressed the importance of doing well on the road in the forthcoming double-header against Wednesday and Derby.
Long-term trio James Morrison (heel), Ishmael Miller and Neil Clement (both knee) also continue to miss out.
West Brom Evens, Draw 12/5, Sheff. Wed 11/4| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 13th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 12:45 | Swansea vs Newcastle |
| 13:00 | Preston vs Blackpool |
| 15:00 | Barnsley vs Plymouth |
| 15:00 | Coventry vs QPR |
| 15:00 | Doncaster vs Nottm Forest |
| 15:00 | Leicester vs Scunthorpe |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Peterborough |
| 15:00 | Sheff Utd vs Bristol City |
| Tuesday 16th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Blackpool vs Middlesbrough |
| 19:45 | Bristol City vs Leicester |
| 19:45 | Cardiff vs West Brom |
| 19:45 | Derby vs Preston |
| 19:45 | Nottm Forest vs Sheff Utd |
| 19:45 | Peterborough vs Ipswich |
| 19:45 | Plymouth vs Swansea |
| 19:45 | Scunthorpe vs Barnsley |
| 19:45 | Sheff Wed vs Doncaster |
| 20:00 | QPR vs Watford |
| Wednesday 17th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Newcastle vs Coventry |
| 20:00 | Crystal Palace vs Reading |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 9th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| West Brom 2 - 0 Scunthorpe | |
| Leicester 0 - 0 Doncaster | |
| Derby 3 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Coventry 1 - 0 Nottm Forest | |
| Preston 2 - 1 Sheff Utd | |
| Sheff Wed 2 - 0 Blackpool | |
| Cardiff 2 - 0 Peterborough | |
| Watford 2 - 0 Bristol City | |
| QPR 1 - 2 Ipswich | |
| Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Swansea | |
| Reading 2 - 1 Plymouth | |
| Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Barnsley | |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Swansea 2 - 0 Preston | |
| Barnsley 1 - 0 Watford | |
| Blackpool 1 - 2 Leicester | |
| Ipswich 1 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Nottm Forest 2 - 1 Sheff Wed | |
| Scunthorpe 1 - 2 Crystal Palace | |
| Peterborough 1 - 0 QPR | |
| Bristol City 1 - 1 Coventry | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Bromwich Albion | 30 | 59 |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 29 | 59 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 55 |
| 4 | Cardiff City | 29 | 48 |
| 5 | Swansea City | 29 | 48 |
| 6 | Leicester City | 28 | 43 |
| 7 | Sheffield United | 30 | 42 |
| 8 | Middlesbrough | 30 | 41 |
| 9 | Blackpool | 30 | 40 |
| 10 | Barnsley | 29 | 39 |
| 11 | Watford | 29 | 38 |
| 12 | Preston North End | 29 | 38 |
| 13 | Bristol City | 29 | 37 |
| 14 | Coventry City | 30 | 37 |
| 15 | Derby County | 30 | 36 |
| 16 | Doncaster Rovers | 28 | 34 |
| 17 | Queens Park Rangers | 29 | 34 |
| 18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 30 | 34 |
| 19 | Crystal Palace | 29 | 33 |
| 20 | Ipswich Town | 29 | 33 |
| 21 | Scunthorpe United | 29 | 33 |
| 22 | Reading | 29 | 32 |
| 23 | Plymouth Argyle | 28 | 24 |
| 24 | Peterborough United | 30 | 21 |
Confidence will be in short supply when the Merseyside derby kicks off on Sunday, says Andy Gray.
For Liverpool and Everton it's a 'can't-lose' derby but does anyone else care, asks Paul Merson?