Club News

Swansea v Albion - team news

Surprises as Mel makes four changes - three enforced

STEVEN Reid is a surprise inclusion in Pepe Mel’s starting XI as the Baggies boss makes four changes – three enforced - to the side that lost 3-0 to Manchester United last weekend.

The right-back was initially ruled out of the Liberty Stadium encounter after picking up a knee problem against United - but came through training successfully yesterday.

The players to earn recalls to the Baggies’ line-up are Craig Dawson, James Morrison, Graham Dorrans - making his first Barclays Premier League start since August - and Stephane Sessegnon. 

The men to make way are injured trio Chris Brunt (knee), Claudio Yacob (hamstring) and Morgan Amalfitano (knee), and the benched Zoltan Gera.

Twenty-year-old Albion Academy product and defensive midfielder Liam O’Neil also makes a Barclays Premier League bench for the first time.

Garry Monk makes three changes to the Swans team that fought out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace last weekend.

Jordi Amat, Jose Canas and Roland Lamah come in for the suspended Chico Flores, benched Pablo Hernandez, and Nathan Dyer, who is left out altogether.

Striker Michu starts among the substitutes after ten weeks on the sidelines through injury.

SWANSEA:Vorm, Rangel, Amat, Williams (c), Davies, Britton, Canas, de Guzman, Routledge, Lamah, Bony. Subs: Tremmel (gk), Tiendalli, Taylor, Hernandez, Emnes, Michu, Lita.

ALBION: Foster, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson (c), Reid, Morrison, Mulumbu, Dorrans, Ridgewell, Sessegnon, Anichebe. Subs: Myhill (gk), O’Neil, Vydra, Gera, Berahino, Sinclair, Thievy.

REFEREE: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire).