West Brom team news vs Middlesbrough: Dara O’Shea starts for first time following long-term injury

West Brom manager Steve Bruce hasn’t, as expected, rung the changes for the Baggies Championship clash with Middlesbrough but he has made a couple of switches.

Dara O’Shea gets his first start of the season following recovery of his long-term injury whilst Grady Diangana is also given the nod to start.

Albion have picked up just one point since the arrival of Bruce as Head Coach and are yet to find the net in any of those, a run that stretches back further than his appointment and now sits at five games.

Andy Carroll will once again be tasked with getting on the scoresheet for Baggies whilst Diangana, Karlan Grant and Adam Reach will provide support.

The team in full then looks to be once again a back three/five with Sam Johnstone in goal.

Kyle Bartley captains the side with O’Shea, and Semi Ajayi the other centre-backs.

Conor Townsend plays wing-back but it’s anyone’s guess who plays on the other wing.

Diangana, Jayson Molumby, Grant, Reach and Alex Mowatt make up the midfield with Carroll leading the line as a lone-striker.

Teams in full

Middlesbrough: Lumley (GK); Dijksteel, Taylor, Fry, Tavernier, Howson, McNair, Connolly, Jones, Balogun, McGree

Subs: Daniels, Sporar, Peltier, Watmore, Bamba, Lea Siliki, Coburn

West Brom: Johnstone (GK); Townsend, O’Shea, Bartley, Ajayi, Diangana, Molumby, Grant, Reach, Mowatt, Carroll

Subs: Button (GK), Furlong, Kipre, Clarke, Gardner-Hickman, Tulloch, Robinson

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