Alex Mowatt and Mason Holgate injury verdict with West Brom optimistic

The Baggies' options are thin on the ground during the demanding festive period and face Swansea away from home less than 72 hours after Wednesday's 3-1 win over Preston.

Squad options for Albion's interim management of Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill are in short supply after defender Paddy NcNair's loan ended and wide attacker Lewis Dobbin's was terminated by Villa. Mowatt and Holgate have missed the last two and three games respectively with groin complaints.

Interim head coach Brunt, though, revealed after the victory over Preston that the situation with both midfielder Mowatt and defender Holgate is better than was initially feared after further testing.

"We've assessed them over the last couple of days and things are a bit more positive than we thought," Brunt told the Express & Star after overseeing a first win of his caretaker period.

"Whether Saturday's too soon for them I don't know, but I saw them both today and they were pretty upbeat, pretty positive.

"Hopefully somebody comes through in the next couple days so then we've got an extra body to put in the squad because we're pretty light on the ground at the minute."

The Baggies have had to rely on several players to go to the well and back throughout the busy period. Preston was a fourth game in 11 days and Swansea, the final of this sequence, is a fifth in 14.

Experienced defender Kyle Bartley, 33, is one example of somebody Albion hoped to give more rest. Ex-boss Corberan had previously said there was no way Bartley could play in all five games as the defender has to be managed due to an existing knee problem. With McNair's exit and an injury to Holgate, though, Bartley may have to go again in south Wales.

Winger Tom Fellows was withdrawn at half-time with the Baggies 3-0 up against PNE and replaced by Jed Wallace. Brunt confirmed Fellows' minutes were being managed.

Midfielder Mowatt's absence against Sheffield United and Preston has opened the door for Ousmane Diakite, who has caught the eye in rare back-to-back starts.

"Look, Tom's a young boy," Brunt added of Fellows. "He's done really well for us this season and this period of games is a nightmare.

"It's really hard as a player - especially as a young player - to cope with it, particularly that Sheffield United game the other day. I think he just looked a bit leggy in the first half and we tried to freshen it up a bit with Jed.

"With the game on Saturday, you've got to half consider that too. It was nothing performance-related."