West Bromwich vs Stoke City - Mears in line for league debut as West Brom host Stoke

Posted Friday, August 31, 2018 by PA

Tyrone Mears could make his Sky Bet Championship debut for West Brom after coming through 90 minutes unscathed against Mansfield in midweek.

The former Derby and Marseille right-back, 35, signed for the Baggies on a rolling contract until January earlier this week and went straight into the team that beat Mansfield 2-1 in the Carabao Cup.

Next up are Stoke, and West Brom boss Darren Moore will be unable to deploy Nacer Chadli as the Belgium winger is still battling his way back to full fitness. He has been linked to Monaco in recent days.

Jonathan Leko and Kyle Edwards might hope to feature against Stoke after both forwards scored their first senior goals in the win against Mansfield.

Gary Rowett will resist the urge to rush Tom Ince back into the Potters’ starting XI.

The manager described Ince as having a “slight chance” featuring at The Hawthorns, stressing however that recovering from a hamstring strain in time to face the Baggies would be “ambitious”.

Rowett revealed his squad “picked up a couple of knocks” in the League Cup victory over Huddersfield, although he declined to name names, instead taking time to give credit to ex-Albion striker Saido Berahino, who scored his first goal in two and a half years to help Stoke progress.

Julian Ngoy is no longer available after the Belgian forward moved to Grasshoppers on loan.