BirminghamWorld XI: Our Baggies line-up for the trip to Swansea City

It’s the battle of the derby day victors on Wednesday evening when West Brom travel to Wales to take on Swansea City.

The Baggies faithful won’t need reminding but in case they do, they beat Birmingham City 1-0 on Friday evening to heap more misery on their cross-city rivals. And for a football fan, heaping misery on rivals gives us a real kind of sadistic pleasure.

But it wasn’t just Valerien Ismael’s side inflicting misery, it was the Swans, too.

Russell Martin’s team hammered Cardiff City 3-0 to claim their third win of the season and without a doubt their most satisfying.

Both squads therefore go into this one full of confidence and although on paper the Baggies look to hold the better cards, an improving Swansea team could prove a banana skin.

Here’s the line-up I’d go far to make sure that slip-up doesn’t happen.

West Bromwich Albion XI

(3-4-3): Johnstone; Ajayi, Bartley, Clarke; Furlong, Townsend, Livermore, Mowatt; Phillips, Robinson, Grant

Although the old cliche of never changing a winning side has died for a lot of managers in 2021, I wouldn’t be changing the team that got one over on the Blues last time out.

It wasn’t the most inspired performance but it was a professional one and one that, most importantly, got the job done on derby day.

Callum Robinson was replaced at half-time in the 1-0 win after a below par performance by his standards but after a busy international break for the forward, it came as no real surprise. The Republic of Ireland striker has been in fine form for club and country and he’d be straight in the line-up for me again from the start on Wednesday.

One change that may have to be enforced will come in the shape of Alex Mowatt who picked up a knock against Birmingham. Ismael said he will have to be assessed before the match but if he’s fit to play he’d be staying in the heart of midfield.

Score prediction

Swansea City 1-2 West Bromwich Albion

This is going to be tough.

For large parts, I see it mirroring that of the Stoke City game. From style of play to quality of opposition. But now Baggies have the chance to show they’ve learned from that defeat.

And I think they will.