Club News

Pocognoli starts for Albion at Shrewsbury

Irvine names strong side for local pre-season clash

SEBASTIEN Pocognoli will pull on an Albion shirt for the first time having been named in Alan Irvine’s starting XI for tonight’s pre-season friendly at Shrewsbury.

The Belgium international, who arrived from Hannover 96 for an undisclosed fee on Saturday, starts at left-back at the Greenhous Meadow.

He is joined in defence by Jonas Olsson, Craig Dawson and Liam O’Neil, who line up ahead of Boaz Myhill between the sticks.

Irvine has named a strong starting XI for the fixture against Albion’s League Two hosts – with Stephane Sessegnon, Victor Anichebe, Saido Berahino, Youssouf Mulumbu, Claudio Yacob and Kemar Roofe also starting.

The likes of Craig Gardner, Graham Dorrans, George Thorne and Chris Baird, among others, are all named on the bench and will look to get game time.

Gareth McAuley and Joleon Lescott are both precautionary absentees ahead of the club’s overseas trip to the USA due to tight calves respectively.

Chris Brunt (groin) and James Morrison (knee) also miss out in Shropshire due to injury, while Ben Foster remains on an extended break following his international exploits with England.

ALBION: Myhill, O’Neil, Dawson, Olsson, Pocognoli, Berahino, Mulumbu, Yacob, Roofe, Sessegnon, Anichebe.

SUBS: L Daniels, Baird, D Daniels, Dorrans, Gardner, Thorne, Garmston, A Nabi, Atkinson, O’Sullivan.