Wetin dey happen for Championship dis season don turn gbege for West Bromwich Albion. Dem dey just two points above relegation zone as dem prepare to face Preston North End for Deepdale dis Saturday. Na serious matter be dis o, because West Brom dey on seven-match unbeaten run, but dat one no mean say dem safe yet.
Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom talk say nobody expect West Brom to dey fight for survival dis season. Him say dem get squad wey full of talent, but now dem dey hungry and dem go fight with everything. Heckingbottom even talk say him want dat kind edge for him own team, because e go make dem play better.
West Brom don sack two managers dis season – Ryan Mason and Eric Ramsay – before dem give James Morrison chance to handle team till season end. Morrison don dey get positive response from players, and dem draw 0-0 with Millwall last Friday. But dem still dey battle to avoid relegation to League One for first time dis century.
For Preston side, dem don wave goodbye to playoff dreams after four-game losing run between late February and middle of March. Now dem just dey try finish inside top half of Championship for third time in four years. Dem get 11 points behind sixth-placed Hull City, so playoff chance don finish.
Preston win Charlton Athletic 2-1 last Saturday with goals from Lewis Dobbin and Brad Potts. Dobbin na former West Brom loanee, so him go want show him former team wetin dem miss. Potts also get goal and assist for dat match.
West Brom get wahala for attack because Karlan Grant (hamstring) and Mikey Johnston (leg) no dey available. Jed Wallace (calf) and Tammer Bany (thigh) also dey injured. For defence, Chris Mepham (hamstring) no fit play, so Nat Phillips and George Campbell go continue as centre-back partnership.
Preston also get injury problems. Robbie Brady (muscle strain), Jamal Lewis (thigh), Ali McCann (ankle) and Callum Lang (shoulder) all dey for treatment room.
Statistics no dey favour West Brom for away matches. Dem win just one of their last 17 Championship away games. Only Sheffield Wednesday collect fewer away points than Albion dis season. But dem keep clean sheets for four of their last five fixtures, so defence dey improve small.
Preston statistics show say dem draw 15 league matches dis season, and nine of dem end 1-1. Dem concede first goal for seven of their last eight fixtures. All of Preston last four games get goals for both teams.
West Brom get another wahala wey dey loom. Dem dey under investigation for alleged breach of EFL Profitability and Sustainability rules. EFL handbook talk say any points deduction must apply before season end, and dis one fit complicate West Brom fight to avoid relegation.
For now, West Brom dey sit with 46 points from 42 matches. Dem dey two points above relegation zone, and dem dey try keep Leicester City and Oxford United for bottom three.
Preston dey look for back-to-back wins for first time since January. Dem dey two matches unbeaten for Deepdale, and dem perform well for their latest home matches against Stoke (3-1 win) and QPR (1-1 draw).
Heckingbottom talk say him dey get decent response from him players, who dig deep for last weekend come-from-behind win at Charlton. Him feel say dis match go be good practice for him team to experience dat kind edge wey teams at top end of league dey get.
As season dey wind down, Preston dey play for pride while West Brom dey fight for their Championship existence. Na different motivations dem get, but both teams go want collect three points for different reasons.
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