Albion’s five match unbeaten run came to an end with a thoroughly disappointing performance against Palace at the Hawthorns, and fears from Baggies fans that the 40-point malaise may have set in once again.
For the third home match in succession, Tony Pulis comes up against one of his former clubs on Saturday, although his departure from Crystal Palace on the eve of the 2014/15 season was somewhat more acrimonious than his departures from either Stoke or Bournemouth, with a multi-million pound court case to go with it.
I pointed out in my preview to the Sunderland game last month that home wins over the Black Cats, Stoke and Bournemouth and draws at Middlesbrough and West Ham would see the Baggies reach 40 points by the end of February, and that is exactly what they have done.
Eddie Howe’s AFC Bournemouth visit the Hawthorns this weekend without a win in seven matches in all competitions, and will be up against an Albion side for whom a win would see them reach the magical 40-point barrier before the end of February.
Albion left it late, but they kept up their record of only losing once this season to teams outside the current top eight (the 1-0 defeat in Bournemouth), and it is Eddie Howe’s men that the Baggies face next at the Hawthorns in a fortnight’s time.
Albion visit the Premier League’s newest stadium for the first time this weekend as they take on West Ham at their new home, the London Stadium, looking to extend their current run of good form. The Baggies sit fourth in the current form table with 13 points from the last 18, and will look to… Continue reading Baggies take good form into first visit to London Stadium