West Bromwich Albion lost just their second game of the Championship season at the weekend as they succumbed to a surprise defeat at home to Middlesbrough, but their fortunes may soon change ahead of a potentially season-defining game.

What’s he said?

The Baggies host league leaders Leeds United on New Year’s Day as the league’s two front-runners go head-to-head at the Hawthorns.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are only top by goal difference, but it is Slaven Bilic’s Albion that have held the top spot for most of the season so far.

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The pair have opened up a gap of nine points to those outside of the automatic promotion spots while the winner will be handed a three-point cushion to start 2020.

West Brom could be boosted by the return of left-sided duo Kieran Gibbs and Grady Diangana, according to Expres & Star reporter Luke Hatfield, he said:

Boost

This would come as a major advantage to the Baggies’ chances of coming out on top on Wednesday afternoon as they are yet to pick up a victory in Diangana’s absence.

Five games, no wins.

The West Ham loanee has proven to be an influential member of the squad, directly contributing to a total of ten league goals, which is only bettered by his attacking midfield counterparts Matheus Pereira and Matty Phillips.

While at left-back, Bilic has faced problems, often electing for Nathan Ferguson to play out of position there, but that experiment was so bad on Sunday that he substituted Conor Townsend on in his place.

Both players returning will offer the Croatian his first-choice left flank, so hopefully, they’ll look a much different side to the one that was shockingly defeated by a struggling Boro outfit.

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