Albion Under-21s will look to utilise their recent good run in Premier League youth competitions when they play Reading on Friday night (ko 7pm).
It's four games undefeated for Leigh Downing's youngsters heading into their PL2 tussle with the Royals, and the desire to achieve a winning outcome in the league format will be next on the agenda in Solihull.
Last time out
Albion pegged back Leeds United in their last PL2 encounter to claim a point.
Jamal Mohammed had given the young Baggies an early advantage during the first period, but the Whites scored in either half to establish the lead heading into the closing stages.
But pressure from Downing's men told in the end, with left-back Adam Letlat scoring in the final minute of regular time to ensure the points were shared in a 2-2 draw.
Venue
Albion U21s will play just their second game this term at Damson Park stadium on Friday evening.
With an abundance of fixtures to fit in across four competitions (soon to be five with the Birmingham Senior Cup), the young Baggies have had to spread their fixtures out across different venues this term.
Pre-match thoughts
Under-18s defender Adam Letlat says he's keen to continue "showing his quality" in the U21s programme after getting a memorable taste of action in his maiden bow earlier this month.
Letlat's first PL2 start was capped off with a goal, and one which proved to be telling as a careful 90th-minute effort against Leeds secured a point for the young Baggies in their last league match.
Letlat at the death. 💪
The full highlights from our #PL2 draw with Leeds are in! 👇— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) October 3, 2025
Although most of the 17-year-old's club football this term has come under Chay Thompson in the scholarship group, Adam has been stepping up for his nation too - receiving two separate call-ups for Algeria's U21 team and starting all of their internationals since the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
Having made inroads for his nation, Letlat is keen to make further strides under Downing as he fights to earn a professional contract at the end of the season, and he hopes his next chance to prove his case comes against Reading in the PL2 on Friday evening.
"It's been a very positive season,” said Letlat.
“I like playing across the age groups against a different variety of players and difficulties because it's pushed me to become better as a player.
“Going game to game and really being pushed in difficult circumstances only helps me show my quality and I’m looking forward to more of those challenges.
“It’s the same with international football - I love going away with Algeria and it really puts the game into perspective when you play in a different country.
“The terrain was different, the warm weather posed a different test for me to deal with, but to perform in those games and show your quality really catches the eye of coaches.
“To be called back and keep going to these camps is really beneficial for me because it allows me to keep progressing and show staff at Albion that I can play at under-21s level.
“Scoring on my first start against Leeds only adds fuel to the fire in terms of my ambitions at the moment, and it’s only made me hungry for more.
“I want to play with the 21s more, show my quality to the staff here and cope with the physicality of older players.
“I want to keep pushing and with it being the second year of my scholarship, the goal and is to try and push for that professional contact at the end of the season.
“I think I'm going about everything in the right way, so to continue the level I’m at and to keep going is the most important thing for me now.”
How to follow
There will be live updates across our social media channels for Friday's PL2 match against Reading.
Owing to a Premier League game taking place on Friday evening, there will be no WBA TV stream of the match from Solihull.
The full report, reaction and highlights from the match will be available on the website over the weekend.
