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Returning to The Hawthorns for the first time this season, West Bromwich Albion will test their promotion aspirations against Leeds United in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
A heavily rotated Baggies side was eliminated from the EFL Cup on Tuesday night, while Leeds United also faced a surprising home loss to Middlesbrough, ending their run in the competition.
West Bromwich Albion’s manager, Carlos Corberan, © Reuters
Despite a tough end to their pre-season with four consecutive defeats, West Brom shone when it counted last weekend at Loftus Road, coming from behind to secure a decisive 3-1 victory over Marti Cifuentes’s Queens Park Rangers.
However, their struggles in cup competitions continued on Tuesday night when they were ousted from the EFL Cup in the first round by League Two’s Fleetwood Town, who capitalized on West Brom’s decision to field a lineup largely composed of Under-21 players.
With the 2-1 midweek loss, Corberan’s side can now focus solely on their Championship campaign for the rest of the year, as they aim for a return to the Premier League after a fifth-place finish and playoff semi-final disappointment last season.
A solid home record at The Hawthorns was key to Albion’s success in their 2023-24 regular season, where they won 15 and lost only four of their 23 home Championship games. Only Ipswich Town, Leicester City, and Leeds managed to earn more points on home turf last season.
West Brom were one of the few teams to avoid defeat against Daniel Farke’s Leeds last season, even securing a home win on December 29 with a first-half goal from Grady Diangana.
Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke on May 12, 2024. © Reuters
Leeds United fans have seen plenty of goals at Elland Road in the past week, but they are still waiting for their first victory of the 2024-25 season.
A 95th-minute equalizer from Brenden Aaronson salvaged a point against newly-promoted Portsmouth last Saturday, but Leeds suffered a heavy defeat to Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.
Despite dominating possession, Leeds couldn’t break through the defense of Solomon Brynn, while Middlesbrough struck three times in the second half through Anfernee Dijksteel, Delano Burgzorg, and Josh Coburn.
Seeking their first win of the season, Leeds head to The Hawthorns this weekend, hoping to build on their strong away form from last season, where they earned 37 points from 23 away games. Only the promoted trio of Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton had better away records.
Although their last visit to B71 ended in defeat, Leeds will recall their 5-0 thrashing of Sam Allardyce’s Baggies in December 2020 as a fond memory of their trips to the Black Country, showcasing the gap between the two sides promoted together earlier that year.
