West Brom v Tottenham
Barclays Premier League
Venue: The Hawthorns Date: Saturday, 11 September Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day
West Brom are without the suspended James Morrison following his red card against Liverpool.
Paul Scharner played a behind-closed -doors friendly with Bolton and could make his first Baggies appearance.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp could hand William Gallas the captain's armband on his debut with Jermain Defoe and Michael Dawson out for long spells.
New signings Rafael van der Vaart and goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa could also join Gallas in the team.
West Brom
Suspended: Morrison (three matches)
Injured: Cech (foot), Mattock & Thomas (both ankle), Miller (thigh)
Tottenham
Doubtful: Bentley (ankle)
Injured: Dawson (knee & ankle), Defoe (ankle), O'Hara (back), Gomes & Woodgate (both groin)
The fixture list has been far from kind to West Brom on their return to the Premier League. Having Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham in their opening four matches of the season is hardly ideal, and it does not end there with a derby at Birmingham and then Arsenal to follow.
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They have so many good players, I could list a lot of them... They are a good side, they finished in the top four, but we will make it as difficult as possible
West Brom boss Roberto di Matteo
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That said, they impressed at Anfield in their last league game and Roberto di Matteo's Baggies side look better equipped than in previous seasons to stop their boing-boing existence between the Premier League and the Championship.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is as proud a patriot as anyone, but even he must be cursing the cross of St George after Michael Dawson and striker Jermain Defoe suffered worrying injuries for England during the international break.
Given that news, and Tottenham's typically up and down start to the season, Redknapp must be delighted with the deals he did in the transfer window.
With Ledley King expected to be rested for Tuesday's Champions League clash at Werder Bremen, Redknapp suggested that he could even make Gallas captain.
"I have been very impressed with him as a fella," Redknapp said of the Frenchman.
"He could easily become a mainstay. I am even considering making him captain on Saturday. Thinking about it."
Both Gallas and Van der Vaart have feisty characters. Redknapp need look no further than Van der Vaart's reaction to being substituted for the Netherlands in midweek when he rubbed his eyes in mock disbelief, swore and then openly criticised coach Bert van Marwijk.
Head-to-head
• West Brom have beaten Tottenham 2-0 in their last two Premier League encounters at The Hawthorns.
• Spurs have managed just one victory in four visits to West Brom in the Premier League.
• There have only been nine draws in 57 League games between these teams.
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606: DEBATE
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West Brom
• The Baggies have won just three of their last 19 Premier League matches (v Sunderland twice and Wigan).
• This is West Brom's fifth season in the Premier League. They have never finished higher than 17th.
• They have hit the target with just 24 per cent their shots, the worst ratio in the league.
Tottenham
• New signing Rafael Van der Vaart created a goalscoring chance every 31 minutes & 27 seconds on average during his time at Real Madrid.
• Tottenham's Robbie Keane, who used to play for West Brom's bitter rivals Wolves, has scored eight goals in six Premier League starts against Albion.
• Gareth Bale has either scored or assisted seven of Spurs' last 10 goals in the league.
• Spurs have won the highest percentage of their tackles this season in the league (81%).
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West Brom
Odemwingie: 1 goal (1 league);
Pablo & Wood: 1 goal (0 league)
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Tottenham
Crouch: 3 goals (0 league); Bale: 2 goals (2 league)
Referee: Howard Webb
Assistant referees: Darren Cann & Mike Mullarkey
Fourth official: Rob Shoebridge
West Brom (L0-1 v Liverpool, a): Carson; Olsson, Tamas, Jara, Shorey, Morrison, Mulumbu, Dorrans (Tchoyi 75), Brunt, Odemwingie, Fortune (Wood 82). Subs notused: Myhill, Pablo, Barnes, Reid, Cox
Tottenham (L0-1 v Wigan, h): Cudicini; Kaboul, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto (Kranjcar 46), Lennon (Giovani 73), Huddlestone, Palacios, Bale, Crouch (Pavlyuchenko 46), Defoe. Subs not used: Alnwick, Jenas, Keane, Bassong
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