West Brom v Bristol City injury news as five ruled out & four are doubts but one return

Bristol City face managerless West Brom at The Hawthorns on Tuesday night in the first part of a double-header in the Championship.

The Robins suffered a 2-1 defeat to Millwall at Ashton Gate on Saturday and now have two away games to put it right. City have lost their last three away matches but face a struggling Baggies side who are without a manager since parting company with Steve Bruce.

West Brom are 20th in the division and are just a point outside the relegation zone, that is despite beating Reading last week who City have later this week at the Madejski Stadium. City are three positions above them and are separated by four points ahead of tonight’s clash.

As for the injury front, things are clearing up with only one long-term absentee to contend with. It leaves Pearson with a decision to make as to who to include and who to leave out of his match-day squad.

Kane Wilson is confirmed out as he faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on his knee. The 22-year-old felt the injury after coming on as a substitute against QPR at the start of the month and the course of action has been to undergo surgery to get to the issue.

Tonight’s match will come too soon for Kal Naismith, who is likely to miss his fourth game in a row. Naismith injured his calf in the goalless draw with Coventry City and was later substituted in the first-half. The 30-year-old had been ever present in the Championship for City before sustaining his injury.

“Kal I think the midweek game is too early, he could be available for the Reading game but we’ll see,” said Nigel Pearson when asked about the injury front.

Tomas Kalas made a return after seven months out with an injury, whilst Timm Klose started on Saturday and so there are several options available at centre-back.

Matty James is likely to return this evening however after a period out with a groin injury, which he underwent a procedure for. James was available for selection against Millwall and could have been named on the bench, but Pearson took a different approach. The experienced manager believed that a few extra days of training would put him in good stead for the midweek clash.

“Matty James will be available for midweek,” Pearson said in his post-match Millwall press conference.

“He could have been on the bench today but I think he would gain more from training two or three extra days.”

Whilst he is not reported to have an injury, Han-Noah Massengo has not been included in the last two match-day squads. Academy midfielder Dylan Kadji has been preferred to him and came on as a substitute in the loss to Millwall.

West Brom team news

Interim boss Richard Beale could name an unchanged team that beat Reading in the midweek, winning 2-0 in what was just their second victory of the campaign.

West Brom’s team included the likes of Jed Wallace, Matt Phillips, Jake Livermore and ex-Stoke City defender Erik Pieters. Jayson Molumby, Karlan Grant, Reyes Cleary and Okay Yokuslu came on as substitutes.

Kyle Bartley, Tom Rogic and Adam Reach could also return to their match-day squad having not made it for their trip to Berkshire last weekend. “Tom Rogic is a top player. As I say they’re not easy decisions," Beale admitted to Birmingham Live.

"He’ll come right into the thinking for Tuesday’s squad. He hasn’t looked off the pace, he hasn’t done anything to not be in the squad at Reading. "I just had to make a decision at the top end of the pitch and we’re very lucky at this football club that we’ve got lots of players to pick from. People have to miss out and, at the minute, it’s my job to make those decisions."

West Brom are set to be without defenders Semi Ajayi and Kean Bryan who are out with an ankle and knee injury respectively whilst Daryl Dike has a problem with his thigh.

"All I know is he’s still injured and a couple of weeks away," Beale said about Dike’s status to BirminghamLive. "He’s working really, really hard to get fit, he’s a great guy and has been missed by the previous regime I know.”

Karlan Grant is West Brom’s top scorer this season with four goals in all competitions whilst Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana have been their most creative with five goal contributions between them.