WEST BROMWICH ALBION v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 26 APRIL 2014
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: MIKE DEAN
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United travel to the Hawthorns on Saturday hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat when they take on West Bromwich Albion in the Barclays Premier League.
• Liverpool, Arsenal and Crystal Palace have all proved just too strong for the Hammers in their recent weeks, with a Mile Jedinak penalty condemning Sam Allardyce's team to a narrow loss against the Eagles last time out.
• A Matt Jarvis header gave the Hammers the lead in their last away trip against Arsenal, before the Gunners surged ahead to win the match 3-1.
• With two games left to play after this fixture, West Ham will be looking to make absolutely certain of their Premier League safety with three points against the Baggies.
• The Hammers are currently 12th in the table with 37 points, four places and four points better off than Pepe Mel's team.
• West Brom return to home turf following a 3-1 loss against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night.
• The Baggies' last two matches at the Hawthorns have both ended 3-3 against Cardiff City and Tottenham respectively, with the draw against Spurs seeing the hosts let slip a three-goal lead.
• Mel's team are the division's draw specialists this season with 15 of their 34 games ending all square so far.
• The Midlands outfit are also without a win in their last seven outings in front of their home crowd, with six draws and a defeat from those matches.
Team news
West Ham United
• James Collins is back in full training and is in contention to make a return from the calf injury which has sidelined him recently.
• Fellow defender Guy Demel missed the home defeat against Crystal Palace through illness but should be fit to face the Baggies.
• Striker Marco Borriello has been absent with a calf injury and will miss out again against West Brom.
West Bromwich Albion
• Liam Ridgewell was forced off in the defeat against City on Monday with a knee injury and Pepe Mel has already indicated that Chris Brunt will fill in at left-back.
• Centre-back Gareth McAuley missed the game at the Etihad with a calf injury but could be back in time to face the Hammers.
• Zoltan Gera is also likely to be absent for the hosts with a hamstring injury.
Last time out
West Ham United 0-1 Crystal Palace
Barclays Premier League
19 April 2014
West Ham United: Adrian; McCartney, Tomkins, Reid, Armero; Nolan (Nocerino 85), Noble, Diame; Downing (J.Cole 78), Carroll, Jarvis (C.Cole 70)
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Taylor, O'Brien, Johnson
Manchester City 3-1 West Bromwich Albion
Barclays Premier League
21 April 2014
West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Ridgewell, Olsson, Jones, Dawson, Brunt, Amalfitano, Mulumbu (Morrison 84), Dorrans, Sessegnon (Berahino 76), Vydra (Anichebe 60)
Subs not used: Myhill, Yacob, Reid, Lugano
Goals: Dorrans 16
Previous meeting
West Ham and West Brom met back in December for the final game of 2013, and what a game it turned out to be. There was six goals and controversy aplenty at the Boleyn Ground as the points were shared. Joe Cole gave the Hammers an early lead before two goals in five minutes from Nicolas Anelka - who was later banned for eight matches by the FA for his quenelle celebration - sent the Baggies in ahead at the break. Modibo Maiga and Kevin Nolan put the home side back in front, but they couldn't hold on as Saido Berahino struck an equaliser.
West Ham United 3-3 West Bromwich Albion
Barclays Premier League
28 December 2013
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Tomkins (Demel 10), McCartney, Rat, J Cole (Collison 83), Noble, C Cole (Maiga 45), Nolan, Jarvis
Subs not used: Adrian, Taylor, Diarra, Chambers
Goals: J Cole 4, Maiga 65, Nolan 67
West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Jones, Ridgewell, Lugano (Amalfitano 68), Olsson, McAuley, Morrison (Yacob 78), Brunt, Anelka, Berahino (Sessegnon 85), Mulumbu
Subs not used: Myhill, Sinclair, Vydra, Dawson
Goals: Anelka 40, 45; Berahino 69
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
28 December 2013 West Ham United 3-3 West Bromwich Albion
30 March 2013 West Ham United 3-1 West Bromwich Albion
16 December 2012 West Bromwich Albion 0-0 West Ham United
12 February 2011 West Bromwich Albion 3-3 West Ham United
10 November 2010 West Ham 2-2 West Bromwich Albion
16 March 2009 West Ham United 0-0 West Bromwich Albion??
Overall record v West Bromwich Albion
P94 W 36 D 21 L 37
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th (46 points)
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points - relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
West Bromwich Albion
2012/13 Premier League 8th (49 points)
2011/12 Premier League 10th (47 points)
2010/11 Premier League 11th (47 points)
2009/10 Championship 2nd (91 points, promoted to Premier League)?
2008/09 Premier League 20th (32 points, relegated to Championship)?
2007/08 Championship 1st (81 points, promoted to Premier League)?
2006/07 Championship 4th (76 points)?
2005/06 Premier League 19th (30 points, relegated to Championship)?
2004/05 Premier League17th (34 points)?
2003/04 Championship 2nd (86 points, promoted to Premier League)?
Background
• Today's fixture marks the 95th competitive meeting between West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion. The Hammers have won 36, the Baggies have tasted victory on 37 occasions and there have been 21 draws. It will also be the twelfth time the two clubs have met in the Premier League.
• The two clubs met for the first time on 13 January 1913 in an FA Cup first round tie at the Hawthorns. Fred Harrison scored for the Southern League First Division Hammers as they earned a 1-1 draw against the Baggies. The game was replayed three days later with that tie ending in a 2-2 draw at the Boleyn Ground, before a 3-0 win back at the Hawthorns finally settled matters in West Ham's favour.
• The Hammers recorded their biggest-ever win over the Baggies on 16 April 1965. Striker Brian Dear had a day to remember as he netted five goals within the space of 20 minutes either side of half-time in a 6-1 home Division One victory. Martin Peters had earlier opened the scoring.
• West Brom recorded their biggest win over West Ham back on 24 October 1925, romping to a 7-1 Division One victory at The Hawthorns. Jimmy Ruffell netted West Ham's consolation goal.
• West Ham and West Brom met in the 1966 Football League Cup final. The sixth and last League Cup final to be played over two legs, the Hammers won the first game 2-1 at the Boleyn Ground, with Geoff Hurst and Johnny Byrne cancelling out Jeff Astle's opener. The second leg was a different story, however, as the Baggies clinched a 4-1 win to secure a 5-3 aggregate success.
• West Ham have a good recent record at the Hawthorns and have suffered only one defeat in their last ten visits at the home of the Baggies. Five of those visits have ended in West Ham wins, the latest of which coming in May 2006 when a Nigel Reo-Coker goal won the match.
Referee
• The man in the middle for Saturday's fixture is Mike Dean.
• Dean last refereed the Hammers in a 2-1 home win against Hull City on 26 March 2014. He also took charge of the corresponding fixture earlier in the season when the sides played out a 3-3 draw at the Boleyn Ground.
• In all, he has refereed West Ham 37 times, with the Hammers winning 14, losing eleven and drawing twelve of those matches.
• The 45-year-old began refereeing in 1985, starting out his career in senior football in the Northern Premier League.
• In 2004, Dean took charge of his first international match, a friendly between the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Amsterdam ArenA. That same year, he took control of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester United.
• In May 2006, he refereed the Championship play-off final between Leeds United and Watford at the Millennium Stadium. In 2008, he was the man-in-the-middle for the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium.
• On Saturday, Dean will be assisted by Jake Collin and John Brooks, while the fourth official at the Hawthorns will be Mike Jones.
General information
• The forecast for Saturday's match is light rain with temperatures around 12C (53F).
• West Ham United's allocation of tickets for Saturday's match are now SOLD OUT. If you're travelling to the game via coach you will need to be on board by the time they leave the Boleyn Ground at 10am.
• If travelling to the Hawthorns by train, please click here for travel updates.