Club News

Albion v Chelsea - team news

Tamas in for injured McAuley as Clarke makes three changes

GABRIEL Tamas is drafted in at centre-half as he replaces the injured Gareth McAuley (leg) to partner Jonas Olsson at the heart of the Baggies defence.

Steve Clarke makes two other changes from the team that beat Wigan 2-1 last Saturday.

Peter Odemwingie and Zoltan Gera are both handed starts in place of Romelu Lukaku, who is ineligible to play against his parent club, and Chris Brunt, who drops to the bench.

Youssouf Mulumbu has won his fitness race with a hamstring problem to keep his place in the Baggies’ starting XI.

Steven Reid returns from more than two months out with a hamstring injury and is named among the substitutes.

Craig Dawson remains unavailable for selection due to a head injury.

Roberto Di Matteo makes five changes to the Chelsea team that drew 1-1 with Liverpool last weekend.

David Luiz, Oriol Romeu, Victor Moses, Daniel Sturridge and Gary Cahill come in.

John Terry misses out through injury and the other men to make way are Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires, Juan Mata and Oscar, who all drop to the bench.

ALBION (4-2-3-1): Myhill; Jones, Tamas, Olsson, Ridgewell; Yacob, Mulumbu; Odemwingie, Morrison, Gera; Long. Subs: L Daniels (gk), Popov, Reid, Dorrans, Brunt, Rosenberg, Fortune.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Luiz, Bertrand; Mikel, Romeu; Sturridge, Hazard, Moses; Torres. Subs: Turnbull (gk), Ivanovic, Cole, Ramires, Mata, Oscar, Marin.

REFEREE: M Oliver (Northumberland).