West Brom v Middlesbrough: Preview

Bottom placed West Bromwich Albion take on 16th placed Middlesbrough in a true '6 pointer' at the Hawthorns this afternoon. The Baggies start the day just three points behind Gareth Southgate's side, and victory this afternoon would see Tony Mowbray's join them on 21 points and possibly climb out of the bottom three. Victory for struggling Boro would put them 6 points clear of Albion.

New loan signing Marc-Antoine Fortune could make his first start for the Baggies this afternoon as top scorer Roman Bednar is suspended after picking up a final booking against Villa last weekend.

James Morrison is ruled out with a hamstring injury, but in better news midfielder Filipe Teixeira could make his first Premiership start for Albion after making a full recovery from a string of recent injury problems.

Filipe Teixeria - First Premiership start this afternoon?

For Boro, Captain Emanuel Pogatetz could be absent if he fails to recover from a hamstring injury, but Didier Digard and Gary O'Neil are both passed fit after recovering from a facial injury and illness respectively.

West Brom gaffer Tony Mowbray has billed the game as a 'must win' for Albion.  Victory this afternoon would be a third successive league victory at home.