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Carlos Corberan will want his West Bromwich Albion side to be switched on in the FA Cup tomorrow to avoid any signs of complacency creeping in, the Baggies not in for an easy ride necessarily against non-league opponents tomorrow.
Aldershot Town have set the National League alight this campaign with their knack for scoring goals – bagging 45 goals from 26 games played – and dumped out League Two Stockport County in the last round courtesy of a replay.
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Yet, the hosts will be confident that no Cup upset will be on the cards at the Hawthorns with Corberan expected to make a number of changes to his Baggies side to add fresh blood to his eleven.
Here is the West Brom predicted XI, with Corberan making six potential alterations from the 1-0 Championship defeat to Swansea City…
1
GK – Josh Griffiths
Alex Palmer will be deservedly given a rest for this Cup tie with the Shots, with reserve goalkeeper Josh Griffiths eager to impress on a rare first-team start.
Making ten Championship appearances for the Baggies last season, Griffiths will hope he comes out of the game on Sunday with a clean sheet next to his name.
2
RB – Pipa
Pipa could be afforded just his second start of the season for the Baggies in the FA Cup, replacing Darnell Furlong who will also be given a breather alongside Palmer.
The Spanish defender impressed late on in the 1-0 Swans defeat when substituted on, winning two duels from just 15 minutes on the pitch.
3
CB – Kyle Bartley
Options are limited at centre-back with Semi Ajayi having linked up with Nigeria ahead of the start of the African Cup of Nations next week, ensuring that the experienced figure of Kyle Bartley will likely keep his place in the side.
4
CB – Caleb Taylor
20-year-old Caleb Taylor could also be given an opportunity to impress ahead of regular first-teamer Cedric Kipre, the young centre-back excelling away from the Baggies with Cheltenham Town on loan last season.
Corberan will hope putting his faith in fringe players such as Taylor doesn’t backfire, West Brom able to convincingly beat their lowly opponents still with a reshuffled lineup.
5
LB – Conor Townsend
The only remaining member of the lineup from the Swans loss so far could be Conor Townsend, the Baggies left-back wearing the captain’s armband in Wales.
Getting back to his best in recent games – amassing 92 touches in the 1-0 Norwich win at the tail-end of December as a lively presence – Corberan might not want to disrupt Townsend peaking again and could allow him to start against the Shots as an experienced head.
6
CM – Okay Yokuslu
Corberan could also keep Okay Yokuslu in his lineup for the Cup game versus the Shots for a bit of defensive steel, the Turkish midfielder winning seven duels against Swansea last match.
Yokuslu could be crucial if selected to start in thwarting Aldershot boldly venturing forward, the National League visitors visiting the Hawthorns with very little to lose as the underdogs.
7
CM – Nathaniel Chalobah
Alex Mowatt will, however, most likely be given a day off against Aldershot for Nathaniel Chalobah to come into the side and fill in, the former Chelsea man previously praised for his “brave, aggressive” approach by Corberan earlier in the campaign.
The 29-year-old has only started five games for the Baggies this season with the likes of Mowatt and Yokuslu given the nod more times than not over the number 14, Chalobah eager to impress versus the Shots to stake a claim for more first-team minutes in the Championship.
8
RM – Tom Fellows
Tom Fellows will use this FA Cup clash as a way to show to Corberan that he warrants being the first team choice for the foreseeable at right wing, the West Brom number 31 standing out against Swansea even with the West Midlands side slipping up come full-time.
Managing two key passes from just 37 touches of the ball, the dynamic 20-year-old attacker also registered three successful dribbles to give Swansea constant issues defensively.
Fellows will see this game against Aldershot as the best possible opportunity to score his first-ever senior goal for Corberan’s men, the Baggies prodigy helping himself to 14 goals at youth level prior to making the leap to the first team.
9
CAM – Brandon Thomas-Asante
With the likes of John Swift and Jayson Molumby sidelined with injury, Brandon Thomas-Asante could get the nod to start in a number ten berth, with Daryl Dike likely to feature from the start through the middle.
Scoring against Aldershot would see Thomas-Asante go onto nine goals for the season in all competitions, within touching distance of double figures already for the ex-Salford City centre-forward.
10
LM – Adam Reach
Adam Reach could also be selected down the left-hand channel versus Aldershot, the versatile 30-year-old coming into the team to play his part ahead of Grady Diangana – who has linked up with DR Congo ahead of AFCON.
Diangana wasn’t at his best in the 1-0 defeat to Swansea last match in league action anyway – weak in front of goal with zero shots attempted – and so the former Sheffield Wednesday figure could be gifted his first start of the campaign in place of the Congolese winger to also freshen up the eleven.
11
ST – Daryl Dike
Corberna has already confirmed that the returning Dike will get at least 45 minutes tomorrow, ensuring he is set to lead the line to make his first appearance of the campaign.
The American marksman will be hoping to make up for lost time by getting in on the act against the non-league visitors, having scored seven goals in the Championship last season.
West Brom predicted lineup in full versus Aldershot: GK – Griffiths; RB – Pipa, CB – Bartley, CB – Taylor, LB – Townsend; CM – Yokuslu, CM – Chalobah; RM – Fellows, CAM – Thomas-Asante, LM – Reach; ST – Dike