Stoke City team news vs West Brom as Mark Robins puts faith in Nathan Lowe
Nathan Lowe comes straight into the Stoke City starting XI as Mark Robins starts life after Tom Cannon.
Lowe, aged 19, has been recalled from an 18-goal spell on loan at Walsall in part due to the possible recall by Leicester of Cannon, which happened in the final hour before a deadline to trigger that option on Tuesday night.
That is the only change that Robins makes to the side that won an FA Cup third round tie at Sunderland in extra-time last weekend, meaning Lowe will likely be flanked by Lewis Koumas and Andrew Moran.
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Lewis Baker is joined by Tatsuki Seko and Wouter Burger in midfield while Enda Stevens starts his first league game since November at left-back, with Ashley Phillips, Ben Wilmot and Junior Tchamadeu making up the back four.
There are a couple of young faces on the bench, with a call up for Jack Griffiths after he scored for the under-21s last night in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City. Winger Kieron Willox is also among the subs.
Robins said at his pre-match press conference: “We’re looking forward to this game, it’s a tough place to go, the Hawthorns.
“Chris Brunt will take the team. He’s been there for a while and spent time with Carlos Corberan and has taken on the team and done pretty well. They look not too dissimilar from what they were before. There are some really experienced players in that group, they’re operating at the top end of the division and have been for a couple of seasons now.
“It’s no mean feat to go there and get something but we’ll aim to do that. We’ve sold out the away end, which is brilliant to hear, and we’re looking forward to going there and trying to put in a performance that they will be proud about.”
Stoke: Johansson, Tchamadeu, Stevens, Wilmot, Phillips, Seko, Burger, Baker, Moran, Koumas, Lowe. Subs: Bonham, Rose, Lawal, Griffiths, Willox, Junho, Vidigal, Tezgel, Ennis.
