Express & Star

Norwich v West Brom: Who's out and who's a doubt as one returns and duo edge closer

Tony Mowbray provided a mixed availability update as Albion prepare for the Championship run-in and a trip to Norwich on Saturday.

Published

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

The freescoring Canaries are down in 13th having struggled to keep goals out at the other end and find themselves eight points adrift of their sixth-placed visitors.

Mowbray and Albion have been boosted by the return of one key defender ahead of the trip to Carrow Road while another couple of important squad members have stepped up their return.

There was less encouraging news on top goalscorer Josh Maja, who is still out having not played since early January.

See a round-up of Albion's availability latest below.

Callum Styles - calf

It was a shame the in-form left-back was ruled out of Hungary duty following a deserved recall with the calf complaint he felt at Burnley before the break. That issue ruled Styles out of the 1-1 draw against Hull, but he returned to training this week and is expected to feature against Norwich.

Jed Wallace - calf

Club captain Wallace, as well as defender Semi Ajayi, have stepped up their comebacks from muscle injuries and are both likely to be back in full training within the next fortnight.

Mowbray confirmed the duo are with medical staff doing some light running drills. Wallace has not played since the draw at Millwall in mid-February. 



Semi Ajayi - hamstring

Centre-back Ajayi only managed to play against Millwall and briefly against Oxford before another hamstring setback ruined his progress. Happily, like Wallace, he has stepped up his rehab.

Josh Maja - lower leg

Albion's real availability blow during the second half of the season has undoubtedly been top scorer Maja, who has been unable to add to his 12-goal tally having not kicked a ball since early January.

Optimistic timeframes for the striker's return were initially set at around six to eight weeks, which would have been around this time of late March.

But Mowbray confirmed this week the likelihood is Maja will only be ready for a return if Albion manage to achieve play-off football. Maja has been working a protective leg brace for much of the last few months.



Tammer Bany - groin

The deadline day £3million attacking midfield recruit was ruled out for games against Burnley and Hull due to a minor groin issue but has been back in full training as of Thursday this week. He built up technical and physical work in the first week of the break but has now joined in with colleagues and has looked in decent condition.



EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications
Tammer Bany has so far managed just once cameo for Albion - but managed an assist against Oxford. (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

Darnell Furlong - suspended

The Baggies' first-choice right-back will serve the final of his three-match suspension at Carrow Road having been dismissed against QPR, a ban Albion were unsuccessful in appealing.

With more or less all of Mowbray's backline available, the likelihood is Mason Holgate will once again deputise at right-back, with Styles available on the left and Kyle Bartley and Torbjorn Heggem central.