West Brom v Aston Villa team news and stats

Rickie Lambert: Enjoys playing against Aston Villa

Rickie Lambert: Enjoys playing against Aston Villa

West Brom will hope to continue their recent improvement against an Aston Villa side in awful form away from home in Saturday’s Premier League clash at The Hawthorns.

Team news

West Brom boss Tony Pulis described his squad as “threadbare” as injuries mount ahead of the visit of their Midlands neighbours.

Chris Brunt (calf), Jonas Olsson (hamstring) and Darren Fletcher (knee) look to set to miss the derby clash at the Hawthorns on Saturday alongside long-term absentee James Morrison, who will be absent for around two months with a hamstring injury.

Sebastien Pocognoli, who replaced Brunt against Bristol City in midweek when he went off injured, and Victor Anichebe could keep their places in the team as Albion attempt to complete a league double over Villa for the first time in 42 years.

Remi Garde is expected to name the same starting line-up for the third Premier League game in a row.

The Villa boss is likely to stick with the team that earned four points from the home matches against Crystal Palace and Leicester, meaning he will make nine changes from the side he sent out for the FA Cup third-round replay with Wycombe in midweek.

Midfielder Carlos Sanchez will undergo a fitness test but full-back Alan Hutton (hamstring) remains out while striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who has played only one minute of football since Garde took over at the beginning of November, is also likely to be missing again after reporting a new injury problem.

Opta stats

  • West Bromwich Albion won just two of the first 16 Barclays Premier League meetings with Aston Villa (W2 D8 L6), but have since won two of the last three (W2 L1).
  • The Baggies are unbeaten in their last five Premier League home games against the Villans (W2 D3).
  • All seven of Aston Villa’s wins against West Brom have been by a one-goal margin, six of them by a 2-1 scoreline.
  • All four of West Brom’s wins in this fixture have been by a one-goal margin (2 x 1-0, 2 x 2-1).
  • Eight of the last 10 Premier League matches played at the Hawthorns have been won by a single goal margin (West Brom have W4 L4) with the other two matches ending as draws.
  • Aston Villa have taken just two points from a possible 30 in their last 10 Premier League away games (W0 D2 L8).
  • Rickie Lambert has scored more Premier League goals against Aston Villa than versus any other opponent (4).
  • Aston Villa have received a league-high 48 yellow cards this season in the Premier League, but are one of only five teams yet to be given a red card.
  • There have been 12 occasions of a team failing to attempt a single shot on target in a Premier League game this season – three of these have been by WBA (more often than any other side).
  • Referee Robert Madley has awarded 10 penalties in 15 Premier League games this season; the most in the competition.