The test is demanding but Albion will be as prepared as they can be.

Sixty-two hours. Albion have to make them all count.

That is the gap between full-time at St James’ Park at the end of a thrilling Wednesday night and kick-off at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

It has been a bit of a logistical nightmare for the club in plotting movements between both EFL Cup and Championship fixtures.

Morrison’s first-team staff and players stayed in the north east, in between Newcastle and Middlesbrough, to give themselves the best chance possible. Even the club’s ‘high-performance’ chef, who travels to every away match, stayed in place.

But the challenges continue, for example, with Albion’s kitmen having to make both round trips to ensure suitable attire for the clashes. Former kitman and now player liaison officer, the hugely popular ‘Jacko’ Smyth, is the man who tackles most of the logistical issues head-on and tends to the needs of players.

Head coach Morrison, Darlington born and raised, does not have worry too much about minor details like those, but the Albion boss is a stickler for detail and demands only the best.

With that in mind, everything must be in line.

There will be a small element of sentiment about Saturday’s challenge for Morrison. A Middlesbrough kid throughout his schoolboy years, he was an FA Youth Cup-winning star in Boro red and started for the club in the 2006 UEFA Cup final defeat to Sevilla.

His time in the Riverside first-team spanned three years and 97 games.

Relative to his two decades at The Hawthorns, that is a drop in the ocean, but including youth days Morrison had nine years with Middlesbrough and learned much of what he knows there.

James Morrison was part of Middlesbrough’s 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning squad. Baggies coach Tony McMahon, second left, was skipper. | Getty Images

placeholder image — James Morrison was part of Middlesbrough’s 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning squad. Baggies coach Tony McMahon, second left, was skipper. | Getty Images

Will Lankshear, who failed to score on loan at Albion, is Boro's main man now after a big-money move from Tottenham. | Getty Images

It will be an interest prospect leading out his Baggies at a ground that means a lot to him. Morrison’s assistant coach and best mate, former Boro colleague Tony McMahon, will also meet up with a lot of familiar faces.

Albion’s schedule is monitored to the very minute across Thursday and Friday. Players will be allowed recovery time in the facilities at their base and efforts will ramp up again on Friday. Staff will be keen to guard against burnout.

Morrison had opportunity for brief down-time on Thursday and hoped to catch up with family. He was relishing his mum’s home cooking while visiting parents, aunts and uncles and his brother. Having all the family at both games is a special thing for the 40-year-old.

The preparation time is minimal and Albion bodies and minds will be tired - but there are green shoots of optimism to face Kim Hellberg’s Boro.

Middlesbrough have opened up with a win - a last-gasp Will Lankshear-inspired effort - and defeat from their first two outings.

Big-spending Boro are fancied by many this term and will pose a stern task. Lankshear was a headline buy after the big-money sale of Hayden Hackney to Everton. Talented Hadjuk Split midfielder Rokas Pukstas is due to sign.

Aune Heggebo makes a very timely return from his controversial ban. | Getty Images

Albion can be boosted physically, however.

Aune Heggebo makes a very timely return from that controversial two-match ban for handball at Norwich. His energy alongside Jimmy-Jay Morgan could be a saving grace on Saturday.

New recruit Kareem Tunde, the winger recruit from Levante, could well be involved too after his Thursday arrival. The pacy Tunde trained in the north east and is expected to be part of the squad for Boro.