Published sixth Apr 2026, 07:58 BST
Victory on the street at rivals Blackburn Rovers may go a great distance to all-but sealing Albion’s Championship standing.
In doing so, James Morrison’s travellers would delight every supporter within the 7,500-strong away finish after Monday’s hosts inexplicably provided the chance for a direct rival to carry a military of followers to pack out the complete stand behind the purpose.
On Easter Monday it has all of the elements to be an actual day to keep in mind, however Morrison and his troops know they have to proceed their finish of the cut price and provides the monumental following a lot to get behind.
Blackburn, underneath Michael O’Neill, are in fine condition. An wonderful 1-0 victory at Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s made it seven factors from a doable 9 in opposition to Blues, Millwall and Middlesbrough – the latter pair presently second and third.
Yet Albion, now unbeaten in 5, have stored on the coattails of their fellow resurgent rivals and an away victory in Lancashire will take Morrison’s males above Rovers into nineteenth.
It would additionally raise the Baggies on to 47 factors and a sense of being nearly there.
Morrison warned: “There’s no hiding place from what the game is.
“They picked up another good victory away from home. They’re confidence will be up so we’ll have to match that.
“We’ll have to remind the players that we’re five unbeaten. We took another point on Friday and we keep going.”
| 2026 Adam Fradgley
Morrison’s availability for Ewood Park isn’t anticipated to alter from Friday’s 2-2 draw with skipper Jed Wallace (calf) sidelined for a lot of the ultimate month of the season.
He joins fellow widemen Karlan Grant and Mikey Johnston out.
Grant, Chris Mepham and Tammer Bany are pushing shut to a return however Monday comes too quickly for the trio.
Josh Griffiths stored his place between the sticks in opposition to Wrexham regardless of Max O’Leary’s return to health.
Griffiths was overwhelmed twice as the guests roared again however the keeper may have performed little about both effort.
Defender Nat Phillips will proceed on the coronary heart of the backline after improved latest kind and the Bolton-born defender might be effectively up for the conflict in opposition to the north west neighbours.
Phillips, 29, previously of Bolton’s academy, grew up in a Wanderers family the place dad Jimmy was a two-time Trotters defender throughout prolonged Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties spells, as effectively as reserve boss, academy boss and caretaker supervisor on a number of events.
The highly effective centre-back remembers being half of an Ewood Park away finish with Bolton as a younger little one and there might be no scarcity of Albion help from the Phillips household as the Baggies push for security.
“They (Bolton and Blackburn) were both obviously doing well at the time when I was young,” Phillips stated.
“It was always Bolton. Certainly at school as well, most kids were either Bolton or Blackburn fans, with a lot of Man United fans littered in there as well!
“There were a lot of bragging rights between mates. I saw a good games between both, at Ewood Park as well. I’m looking forward to it.”
The defender added: “We’ve got such an amazing away following going up there as well.
“With 7,500 fans it will probably feel like a home game.”
