West Bromwich Albion

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West Bromwich Albion manager Ryan Mason said his side's 2-1 victory over Preston North End - just their second win in five home games this season - was much needed.

Mason told BBC Radio WM: "We played a good game against really good opposition. They put a lot of energy into the game, are physical and are good with the ball as well. They caused us problems.

"It's really important to win games of football at home. We have not made our performances count at home so far this season.

"The fans were amazing. They were really with the players and certainly helped us get over the line.

"Sometimes in tight games you need moments of brilliance and we had two moments today."

West Bromwich Albion forward Tammer Bany will not be in contention for Saturday's game against Preston North End (15:00 BST) despite playing 45 minutes with the under-21s in the week.

The Dane has only made four appearances since joining from Danish side Randers in February 2024 and is currently making his comeback from a hamstring injury sustained in pre-season.

"Tammer is probably going to need more minutes because he's just had no football in a long time," boss Ryan Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"There's probably going to be a couple missing out, still yet to decide that."

Left-back Charlie Taylor has returned to training after missing the game against Millwall and could feature.

Also in contention are striker Daryl Dike and forward Karlan Grant, who have both been on the sidelines for a lengthy period of time.

Grant has not featured for the Baggies since their game against Portsmouth in August with a foot injury, while Dike has not yet made an appearance this season as he nurses a back injury.

However, while Dike and Bany may be in a similar position in terms of time out of the game, Mason does not see their reintegration to the squad as something to approach equally.

"I think Tammer needs something different because of the way he plays and the job required of him, whereas the job required of Daryl, in the short term, probably requires a little bit less," Mason added.

Listen to the full interview with Mason and more West Bromwich Albion content on BBC Sounds.

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The international break is finally over and West Bromwich Albion will seek to get back on track when they welcome Preston to The Hawthorns on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Baggies went down 3-0 at Millwall last time out, a third defeat in five games which saw them slip outside the play-off places. They return home where they have claimed five points from their opening four matches, though scoring only three goals.

After a 2-0 home win over Charlton in their most recent fixture the Lilywhites are three places and two points better off in fourth and are seeking to make it six Championship games unbeaten, though their four away games this season have seen just eight goals scored, four at either end.

• West Bromwich Albion are unbeaten in each of their past five league matches against Preston North End (W4 D1), netting 3+ goals in three of the previous four meetings.

• Preston North End have lost 15 of their past 17 away league games against West Bromwich Albion, with their only victories coming in September 1973 (2-0) and January 2022 (2-0).

• Since the start of September, only Sheffield United (3) and Norwich (2) have won fewer Championship points than West Bromwich Albion (4), while in that time Preston have won the fourth-most points in the division (9).

• Only Coventry (5) have more Championship clean sheets this season than Preston (4) – the Lilywhites have four clean sheets in their past seven games, having gone 13 without one beforehand.

• Thierry Small has netted in each of Preston's past two Championship matches. He could be the first player aged 21 or younger to score in three Championship appearances in a row for the Lilywhites since Tom Cannon in April 2023.

Chris Hall
Fan writer

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It was something of a "revolving door" summer at The Hawthorns.

Thirteen senior players departed West Bromwich Albion, if you include the three expired loans, and nine came in to replace them.

Of those nine incomings, four were centre-backs and two were full-backs. So, two-thirds of Albion's summer business was concentrated on making our backline stronger and younger.

At the other end of the field, Albion allowed players who had contributed 26 out of our 43 assists in 2024-25 to leave. The result has been somewhat inevitable.

At the back, Albion look solid. The Baggies have the seventh-best expected goals against in the Championship.

They have also future-proofed that defence.

Kyle Bartley and Semi Ajayi, while solid campaigners at this level, had a combined age of 65. They have been replaced by Chris Mepham and Nat Phillips, who are just as experienced but are much younger at 27 and 28 years old respectively.

Darnell Furlong, while integral to Albion's success under Carlos Corberan, was mere weeks away from his 30th birthday when he left for Ipswich Town.

His replacements, George Campbell, a 24-year-old centre-back turned right-back, and Alfie Gilchrist, a 21-year-old from Chelsea, represent a clear intention to build a backline that can serve us long-term.

So, Albion have built from the back in this transfer window, but there is still work to do evolving our attack.

The Baggies have been one of the poorest teams in the league in terms of creativity. They are 18th for xG created and 18th for goals scored, leading to speculation that a lack of spark in attack could hold Albion back this season.

However, the Baggies went big in January last year, spending about £6m on Tammer Bany and Isaac Price. With the Tom Fellows money banked and not spent towards the end of the summer window, there is every chance they could do the same again.

Also, we have seen little to nothing yet this season of Karlan Grant, Daryl Dike and the aforementioned Bany. So, there are attacking reinforcements to potentially return.

Whatever happens in the rest of the season, this is the start of a rebuild for Albion, and, after a successful overhaul of the Baggies' backline, it seems inevitable our attack will be next.

Listen to more from Chris Hall at the Albion Analysis, external

"I just like playing football. As long as I can perform in any position, I am happy. I would say I'm more of a traditional winger on the left. It's also about developing - I can play on the right - being comfortable on the left or right, being a part of the team.

"I'm from Highbury, an Arsenal boy, I'm not telling Ryan Mason that, he won't play me."

West Brom winger Samuel Iling-Junior, on loan at The Hawthorns from Aston Villa, discusses his career so far in an in-depth chat with BBC Radio WM.

The London-born winger spent eight years in the Chelsea academy before rejecting a contract extension and moved to Italy at the age of 16 to sign for Juventus. That was also during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and he discusses adjusting to life there and playing in Serie A and the Champions League.

The 22-year-old moved to Villa last summer but is yet to make a competitive appearance for Unai Emery's side and has instead been loaned out to Bologna, Middlesbrough and now the Baggies.

The England Under-21 international also spoke to Steve Hermon about his favoured position in Mason's team and his aims for this season.

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

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Midfielder Jayson Molumby said he was "angry and disappointed" not be selected for Republic of Ireland during the previous international window.

The West Brom player was not in Heimir Halgrimsson's squad for the opening World Cup qualifiers, a draw at home against Hungary and a 2-0 defeat away to Armenia.

Included for October's games against Portugal and Armenia, Molumby is hoping he can take his club form onto the international stage and make an impact.

"It's nice to be back, it was tough for me, I was gutted not to be selected, and it was hard to watch [the Armenia game]," he said.

"You feel a lot of emotions, angry and disappointed. I didn't get a reason; there is however many lads to pick from and they [coaching staff] were just focused on the players they had selected.

"I feel I've started well this season; I've started all the league games for West Brom and am in a good place."

The 26-year-old won the last of his 29 caps for his country against England in November 2024.

With Jason Knight missing through injury and Killian Phillips not included in the squad, Molumby is hoping he can stake his claim for a starting place in midfield alongside Josh Cullen.

"You back yourself. My strengths are I'm passionate, I care, and I work as hard as I can," he added.

"I feel like I don't get enough credit for my technical ability. I'm not unbelievable technically, but I can manage myself and I feel I'm good enough on the ball to play at this level and I feel I get looked over for that part of my game.

"I feel I can contribute. I'm not here to say I should be playing for Republic of Ireland, it hasn't been a successful time since I've been here, I haven't achieved much or won a big away fixture. I believe in myself but it's hard when results haven't come."

Marc Webber
BBC 5 Live at The Den

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If you wanted one image to show disappointment and bemusement, then West Bromwich Albion manager Ryan Mason's face during the Millwall post-match press conference would be a perfect example.

That was not the West Brom team he'd overseen so far. It was almost as if they'd had a day off. Saying that, Millwall were a completely different outfit, too, compared to their midweek mauling by Coventry.

It was by far their worst performance under his short tenure so far.

And with an acknowledgement that the togetherness and cohesion also seemed to be draining from them in the game before at Norwich, the international break could not come quick enough for the Baggies.

It will give Mason and his team a chance to reset. For those players not going off on international duty, a week of communication and team working skills might be top of the agenda as opposed to any physical training sessions.

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Ryan Mason said his West Brom side "didn't do enough" in their 3-0 defeat at Millwall.

Goals from Jake Cooper, Femi Azeez and Zak Sturge gave the Lions a huge victory at The Den.

They are now level on points with West Brom and Mason was very disappointed in the performance.

"Every aspect of the game we were probably outdone, which is tough to take," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"We didn't assert ourselves or show enough quality and personality.

"I need to work that and get more out of the lads. We didn't deserve anything today, it is the worst performance of the season. It is difficult when you've got two weeks to sit on it, but it is also two weeks to work and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Mason said the Baggies were not as "together" as they were in the win over Norwich last week, despite not being too pleased with that performance either.

"It is football. This happens. On Wednesday night we had some good things, the performance wasn't what we wanted to to be but we had a togetherness that got us through and we won the game. Today, I didn't feel we had enough with or without the ball.

"It is tough to take."

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West Bromwich Albion full-back Alex Williams has signed a new deal to keep him at the Championship club until the summer of 2028.

The 20-year-old came through the Baggies academy system and made his first-team debut in their Carabao Cup defeat by Derby County in August.

Williams went on to get his first taste of Championship action as a late substitute in West Brom's 1-0 win at Stoke at the end of the same month.

The right-back will not get a chance to add to those appearances until the new year after having to undergo surgery on an ankle injury sustained while away on international duty with Wales Under-21s.

"Now that I've got a few years ahead of me guaranteed, I can kick on. You can never rest in football and I'm going to continue working really hard," Williams told the Baggies website., external

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Millwall will seek to bounce back from their 4-0 mauling against Coventry on Wednesday as West Brom head to South London on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Though the Lions remain unbeaten in four games on the road, the defeat to the Sky Blues was a third in four on home soil, a run during which they have scored one goal and conceded nine.

They lie 12th ahead of the visit of the fourth-placed Baggies, three points ahead in a congested Championship table.

Albion ended an iffy run of one win in five with Wednesday's 1-0 victory at Norwich, which made it three wins from their four away games, only going down at table-topping Middlesbrough so far.

Ryan Mason's men have failed to score more than one goal in seven of their eight matches, though have conceded just seven goals, with three clean sheets, two of them on the road.

• Each of the past five league games between Millwall and West Brom have finished in draws, with the last two at The Den finishing 1-1.

• Since September 1987, West Brom have won just one of their 13 away league games against Millwall (D4 L8), a 2-0 victory in February 2020.

• The last five league meetings between Millwall and West Brom have seen a total of just four goals scored (two each), although all four of those have been scored in games at The Den.

• West Brom are unbeaten in their past five away games against London-based sides in the Championship (W2 D3), after losing five in a row beforehand.

• West Brom are the opponent that Alex Neil has faced the most times as a manager in the Championship without ever winning (seven games – D1 L6).

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Josh Griffiths says he played his best game for the Baggies in the 1-0 win at Norwich City on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old put in a player-of-the-match performance making four saves and keeping a clean sheet.

"In a West Brom shirt, [it was my] best game," Griffiths told BBC Radio WM.

"Tonight people could argue maybe we didn't [deserve to win] but it's an honest group. We work so hard and to hold on, to come away [with three points] that gives us massive confidence."

Griffiths signed for the Baggies in the summer of 2020 but has been on loan at Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers since. Having returned to the West Midlands in February, he has started every league game this season, keeping three clean sheets.

"It's the best dressing room I've been in in terms of just having good, honest lads. Everyone works hard for each other, everyone gets along," Griffiths said.

Having waited patiently for a chance at the number one goalkeeper spot at West Brom, it is a big season for Griffiths as he seeks to prove he deserves it.

"I'm my own harshest critic. I want to do as best I can and it's nice to be playing at the moment," he said.

"I've got that belief in myself that I can really make the shirt mine and have a great year."

As long as he is in between the sticks, Griffiths is keen to continue contributing as his side get back to winning ways. The Baggies had failed to win in their past three matches prior to the victory at Norwich.

"We hadn't won for a while - Stoke was our last win so to get that feeling back is good. Albeit performances haven't been bad it's just we've fallen on the wrong side of results," Griffiths said.

West Bromwich Albion will next take on Millwall in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Listen to the full interview with Josh Griffiths and more Albion on Sounds.

West Bromwich Albion are back in the Championship play-off places after beating Norwich City 1-0 on Wednesday night.

Striker Josh Maja scored his first goal of the season in the 20th minute before Albion fought to hold on to three points and go fourth in the table.

"[It was an] amazing effort to keep a clean sheet on the road, which is not easy to do and we had to suffer, we really had to suffer," Albion head coach Ryan Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"There was a real togetherness, a real fighting spirit to see out the game."

Maja played for 60 minutes having been unable to play more than 20 minutes in his six other appearances this season. The 26-year-old has been returning from a calf injury sustained in January.

"Josh has worked really hard - we've been patient with him. His work-rate is impressive," Mason said.

At the other end of the pitch, goalkeeper Josh Griffiths produced some vital saves to secure a clean sheet at Carrow Road, as West Brom faced 16 shots from their hosts, five of which were on target.

"We had to ride our luck, had to have people produce big moments to keep the clean sheet," Mason said.

"Especially away from home sometimes you need your keeper to produce a moment and he had a couple tonight."

With victory at Norwich being Albion's first since August, Mason is looking to build a winning run as his side are yet to claim back-to-back wins this season.

"When you win in the nature that we just did and you have to suffer. It fuels you and we need to chase that feeling again Saturday because it's going to be another tough game," he said.

The Baggies will visit Millwall on Saturday (15:00 BST) as they seek to climb the Championship table.

Listen to the full interview with Ryan Mason and more Albion on Sounds.

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason says he "loves" his group of players.

Mason's side travel to Carrow Road on Wednesday to face Norwich, having started the Championship season with three wins, two draws and two defeats.

They conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to draw with Leicester City in their most recent game.

"I love my group of players, I believe in them, I believe in what we're doing," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"We're in a good place and we really trust what we're doing inside this football club and I'm sure the results are going to come with it.

"We got some results early which can accelerate that but then also the other night walking off the pitch having drew the game, the feeling was that we were the superior team and that's also important."

The Baggies face a Norwich side that have struggled at home, having not won on their own turf so far this season, while Albion have picked up two of their three wins on the road.

"I wasn't aware of it and I don't really care about that stat to be honest," Mason added. "It's a new game, it's a new challenge, they're going to be prepared, they've got a really good manager, a good squad of players.

"I've played there, it's a tough place to go, we know it's going to be a big challenge for us, but as always we believe in ourselves."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

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Norwich City host Ryan Mason's West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday (19:45 BST), with the home side winless at home so far this season and having failed to pick up three points since the end of August in a 2-0 away victory against Blackburn Rovers.

The Baggies also come into this one without a win in September following a 1-1 draw with Leicester City last time out.

Canaries boss Liam Manning has already said defender Lucien Mahovo is in contention to play following a string of injuries that have kept him out of the Championship team since February.

• Norwich are looking to win successive league meetings with West Brom for the first time since 2013 in the Premier League.

• West Brom have lost both of their past two league visits to Norwich, only ever losing three in a row in February 1977.

• Norwich have lost all three of their home league games this season but have never started a league campaign with four successive home defeats before in their history.

• West Brom have won two of their three away league games this season (L1), more than their final 20 last season (W1 D11 L8).

• West Brom are winless in their past seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league games (D4 L3) since a 3-0 victory at Plymouth in February 2024.