West Brom welcome Stoke City to The Hawthorns on Saturday 16 December as they look to avoid dropping out of the Championship play-off spots.
The Baggies sit in fifth with 35 points, two points above Sunderland and Hull City. In comparison, the Potters will be looking for their third away victory of the season to steer clear of the relegation zone.
David Prutton has predicted West Brom’s score for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, foreseeing a 2-0 win for the home side via Sky Sports’ Championship Predictions podcast (14 December).
Keeping up the pace
West Brom’s consecutive losses to league leaders Leicester City and fellow promotion hopefuls Sunderland halted the club’s progress, with a 2-0 victory over Rotherham United on Tuesday night putting the Baggies back on track.
Losses to the aforementioned teams, Southampton, and a draw against Leeds United could have a huge impact on the club’s season as they look to play Premier League football for the first time since being relegated in 2020/21.
A win against the Potters, however, would help maintain a tight gap between themselves and the teams below, closing in on the play-off spots. And with no sign of Leicester or Ipswich Town letting up, it could be a long season for the other clubs.
Just six points separate West Brom in fifth and Leeds in third. With Coventry a potential slip-up for the Whites, West Brom need a victory against Stoke to close the gap further up.
However, the history between the two sides means anything could happen. Since 2010, each side has claimed 10 wins, with five draws in that time too. Stoke won the most recent battle – a 2-1 victory in the EFL Cup in August.
Baggies fans will be hoping that Prutton’s prediction is right.
