West Bromwich Albion vs Birmingham City

13th September

West Bromwich Albion return to action on Wednesday night for the first time since the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

The Baggies host neighbours Birmingham City at The Hawthorns in what will be the 134th meetings between the two West Midlands rivals (ko 8pm).

All EFL fixtures were postponed as a mark of respect over the weekend, meaning both teams head into Wednesday's clash having had more than a week-and-a-half without a match.

Albion drew 1-1 with Burnley in B71 on September 2, while the Blues won 1-0 at Preston North End in their most recent game, ending a run of three successive Sky Bet Championship defeats prior to their trip to Deepdale.

Sky Bet Championship football returns this week

Follow the game live

Supporters unable to make it to The Hawthorns on Wednesday night can watch the game live on WBA TV Matchday.

Albion fans can purchase a video pass for £10 here.

WBA Radio duo Gez Mulholland and Andy Johnson will provide live commentary for the clash with Blues.

Our opponents

Birmingham City have made a stuttering start to the 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship season, collecting eight points from their eight games.

Former Coventry City, Stoke City, Watford and Derby County midfielder John Eustace was handed the head coach role in early July following the departure of Lee Bowyer.

Eustace has previous experience with Kidderminster Harriers, QPR as an assistant and as a caretaker and the Republic of Ireland as an assistant boss.

Their 1-0 win at Preston on the first weekend in September was a welcome one after suffering three straight league defeats. That victory was just Birmingham's second of the campaign and Eustace will be keen to string a couple more together before the international break in a bid to budge the Blues up and away from the bottom three.

Albion's Midlands neighbours have finished 17th or lower in all of the last six seasons and the club's supporters will be hoping for a far less nervy term this time around.

The Blues and the Baggies are set for battle this week

From the Albion Archive

The Baggies beat Blues 3-2 in a five-goal thriller in B71 in March 2019.

The visitors went ahead through Gary Gardner but Albion hit back and equalised through Dwight Gayle.

Blues were back in front courtesy of Lukas Jutkiewicz, only for the home team to hit back again, this time as a result of Jay Rodriguez's penalty.

And the Baggies won it late on when Jake Livermore drilled home a beauty from the edge of the box.

One for the stattos

Steve Bruce has a fairly mixed record against his former club.

Bruce, who spent six years at St. Andrew's, has won eight, drawn four and lost seven of the 19 games he's been in charge of when one of his teams has faced the Blues.

Steve Bruce on the touchline at St. Andrew's last season

Fan Zone

The Fan Zone will not be open for Birmingham's visit on Wednesday night.

Tributes to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

West Bromwich Albion Football Club will pay tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at The Hawthorns fixture against Birmingham City on Wednesday.

A minute’s silence, followed by the National Anthem, will precede kick-off and both sides will wear black armbands as the club joins worldwide tributes to The Queen, who passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday.

The front cover of Albion News, the club’s official matchday programme, will feature a photograph of the Union Jack flying at half-mast at The Hawthorns – a tribute which has been in place since the announcement of The Queen’s passing.

The club once more extends its condolences to His Majesty King Charles III, and all members of the Royal Family at this desperately sad time.

The thoughts of all at The Hawthorns remain with everyone affected by the loss of our monarch of more than 70 years.

Attending supporters are asked to take their seats in good time to participate in the club’s tributes to Her late Majesty.

14th September

Albion were beaten 3-2 by Birmingham City in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday night.

Scott Hogan’s hat-trick at The Hawthorns earned Blues all three points despite Baggies efforts from Jed Wallace and Brandon Thomas-Asante.

Steve Bruce’s side are next in action this Saturday away to Norwich City.

Albion and Blues pay their respects to Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

The manager named an unchanged team from Albion’s last outing, the dramatic 1-1 draw with Burnley 12 days earlier.

Ahead of kick-off there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence from both sets of supporters in remembrance of Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, followed by a stadium-wide rendition of the national anthem.

It was the visitors who started strongest and secured the lead 13 minutes in, Hogan escaping the Baggies back-line and slotting a composed finish past David Button.

Albion responded well, though, and equalised midway through the first period. Jayson Molumby played an inch-perfect pass to send Wallace one-on-one with John Ruddy, and the winger made no mistake.

Much of the remaining half was disrupted by various stoppages – yet Taylor Gardner-Hickman was forced into producing a goal-saving tackle just before the break to deny Birmingham’s Tahith Chong from scoring.

Much like in the first half, Blues began brightly and netted their second of the evening on the 54th minute when Hogan smashed home via the post after a quick counter-attack.

Bruce brought on Thomas-Asante and Albion searched for another leveller – Dara O’Shea curling over and Wallace seeing a shot blocked.

Birmingham, however, withstood the pressure and extended their lead through Hogan’s run and near-post poke, sealing his hat-trick and Blues’ third.

Still, Albion were handed a lifeline with seven minutes remaining, Thomas-Asante earning a penalty and picking himself up to convert from 12-yards.

And they pushed late on but just couldn’t grab that goal, Grady Diangana heading the best opportunity straight at Ruddy as Blues held onto the win.

Albion: Button, Gardner-Hickman (Phillips 77), Bartley (Pieters 77), O’Shea, Townsend; Yokulsu (Thomas-Asante 60), Molumby; Wallace, Swift, Diangana; Grant (Livermore 77).

Substitutes: Palmer, Furlong, Reach.

Attendance: 23,089

Wednesday 14th September 2022 - 20:00