Stats and info for tonight's cup tie (ko 8pm)
ALBION take on Newport County AFC for the first time since the club were re-established in 1989. Football statisticians WhoScored.com take a look at the game ahead of the Capital One Cup second round tie.
The competition provides a break from Barclays Premier League action this week, with the Baggies still looking for their first goal of the season, having opened the campaign with a 1-0 loss to Southampton and a goalless draw at Everton.
There were plenty of positives to take from Saturday's result, however, most notably that Everton were restricted going forwards, failing to score at their home ground for only the second time in the Premier League since the beginning of last season (20 matches).
In that run, Everton overcame the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City, but they could not break down a resilient Albion defence.
At Goodison Park, the away team's back five produced impressive displays, with Ben Foster obtaining a WhoScored rating of 8.5 and Man of the Match award having made seven saves and successfully claimed three crosses.
That was the standout goalkeeping performance of the weekend, with Foster joining Baggies right-back Billy Jones in the Premier League Team of the Week. To view the WhoScored team of the week click here. Jones made five tackles, two interceptions and 11 clearances on his way to a rating of 8.2 in helping to keep Everton's creativity to a minimum.
Goals will come soon enough for the Baggies. They maybe one of only two Premier League sides yet to score this term (along with Newcastle), but having ranked eighth for goals scored last season (53), it will only be a matter of time before the forwards start firing again, and tonight could be the night.
Albion have won each of their last four second-round League Cup ties, all of which have been against lower league opposition. Last season the Baggies overcame League 1 Yeovil 4-2 and up against League 2 Newport this time around, it could well be 5 in a row.
After a third-place finish in the Conference and subsequent promotion via the playoffs, Newport made it into the Football League last season and have made a good start to life in the fourth tier of English football.
With seven points from a possible 12 to start this campaign and seven goals scored, Newport are sixth in the table and only three points off top spot. While promotion might just be too ambitious a hope, league competition will undoubtedly be their priority this season and whilst a giant-killing should not be completely written off, the visitors could make changes and therefore might not be at full strength.
The Baggies have not kept a clean sheet in seven attempts in league cup games, but having conceded only one goal - and that was a penalty - in two Premier League games this season, the home side should be confident of progression to the next round of the Capital One Cup.
*WhoScored.com is a unique website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Provided with unique stats, they compile and create comprehensive analysis on the major European divisions, including live match stats and player ratings. Follow @WhoScored and their editor-in-chief @alitweedale on Twitter.
All-time results record (League, FA Cup and League Cup)
| PLD | W | D | L | F | A | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| AWAY | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 |
| NEUTRAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | +5 |
Interesting facts
Albion twice played the old Newport County prior to the club going out of business in February, 1989. The Baggies last played the Exiles in a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns in February, 1947 – over 66 years ago.
Supporters established a new club, Newport AFC, in June 1989 before voting to change their name to Newport County AFC ten years later.
The Baggies won the League Cup in 1966 and have twice finished as runners-up in 1967 and 1970.
County won 3-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the first round of the competition.
Last time out
HOME: Division Two (old), Saturday, February 1, 1947, Albion 2 (Walsh 2) Newport County (old) 2
AWAY: Division Two (old), Saturday, September 28, 1946, Newport County (old) 2 Albion 7 (Southam OG, Barlow, Elliott, Clarke 4)
Form guide (last six league matches)
ALBION: LLLDLD
NEWPORT COUNTY AFC: WLWD
Last league match line-ups
ALBION (v Everton - away D 0-0): Foster (L Daniels 77); Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Rosenberg (Vydra 66), Mulumbu, Yacob, Dorrans; Morrison; Long (Brunt 81). Subs not used: Lugano, Berahino, Sinclair, Popov.
NEWPORT COUNTY AFC (v Dagenham & Redbridge – away D 1-1): Pidgeley; Pipe, Worley, Naylor, Hughes, Sandell, Minshull, Willmott (Flynn 77), Chapman, Zebroski (Crow 82), Jolley (Washington 63). Subs not used: James, Jackson, Stephens.
Newport County AFC team news
Newport were only able to name six substitutes at Dagenham on Saturday - with Max Porter and Aaron O'Connor out with groin problems and defender Ismail Yakubu has a calf injury.
Tony James could make his first start of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Ref watch
Andy D'Urso referees tonight’s game. The Essex official last oversaw the Baggies in a 1-1 draw at Reading in the Championship on Saturday, March 27, 2010. D'Urso has dished out 16 yellow and two red cards in four matches so far this season.
Tickets
Tickets will remain on general sale to supporters prior to kick-off. For further ticket information, click here.
Listen to live match commentary on Albion Player
Can't get to The Hawthorns? Tune in to Albion Player's live, full-match commentary from 7pm. To sign up and listen click here.
Follow our live matchday blog
Keep up to speed with all the matchday action and interact with fellow fans on our FREE blog from 7pm.
So, if you can't make it to the game, click here to join in the fun, and post your comments?