Team
news and stats ahead of West Brom vs Chelsea in the Premier League on
Saturday Night Football (kick-off 5.30pm).
Team news
West Brom will be without Conor Gallagher when they host Chelsea in the
Premier League on Saturday.
The midfielder, on-loan at The Hawthorns from Chelsea, will be ineligible to
face his parent club, despite impressing on his West Brom debut against
Brentford on Tuesday.
West Brom boss Slaven Bilic says he's been told a loan deal for Benfica
midfielder Filip Krovinovic will be completed in 'the next couple of days'.
Branislav Ivanovic continues to build up his fitness but is unlikely to be
ready in time to face his former club, while manager Slaven Bilic will also
be without suspended full-back Kieran Gibbs following his red card against
Everton on Saturday.
Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech will miss out for Chelsea.
Pulisic continues to nurse a hamstring issue, while Ziyech has not yet
shaken off a knee complaint.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has said the Hawthorns trip will come too soon
for new recruit Edouard Mendy to start, leaving Kepa Arrizabalaga and Willy
Caballero to battle it out for the goalkeeping berth.
Opta stats
West Bromwich Albion have lost more Premier League games against Chelsea
(18) than they have against any other opponent, including each of their last
four in a row without scoring a single goal.
Chelsea have won each of their last three away league games at West Brom;
they have beaten them in four or more consecutive such outings twice
previously - eight in a row from April 1985 to April 2011 and five between
December 1964 and March 1969.
Chelsea have lost three of their last seven away Premier League games at
newly promoted sides (W4), including their most recent such clash at
Sheffield United in July last season (0-3); they had only lost three of
their previous 19 such matches before this (W11 D5).
West Brom have conceded more goals than any other Premier League side so far
this season (8); indeed, their eight goals against is the most they've ever
shipped in their first two games of a league campaign.
Chelsea have just kept one clean sheet in their 20 Premier League away games
under manager Frank Lampard, winning 2-0 at Spurs in December 2019. The
Blues' last league clean sheet outside of London came in May 2019 (0-0 vs
Leicester).
West Bromwich Albion have won just 11 points from their last 48 available in
the Premier League (W3 D2 L11), with all of these points being earned in
Darren Moore's six games in charge in April/May 2018 (W3 D2 L1).
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