Express & Star

Tony Pulis planning to shuffle the West Brom pack

Tony Pulis is planning to utilise his squad next week when the Baggies return to action with three games in seven days.

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Tony Pulis

Nacer Chadli, James McClean and Salomon Rondon may all be rested against Manchester United this Saturday because they are returning from international duty later than everyone else.

Rondon’s inclusion is particularly in doubt because the Venezuelan does not get back from South America until Thursday.

The Baggies travel to Watford just three days after their trip to Old Trafford and Pulis is keen to save some of his players for that game.

“We’ll have a look at it because we’ve got a three-game week next week,” he said. “We want people fresh for the United game and then we’ll look at it for the Watford game and then the Southampton game.

“The ones away like Chadli, Salomon and McClean, there will certainly be a question mark over whether we start them against United with a three-game week coming up.

“It’s not so much the games, it’s the travelling they’ve done. Not so much James, but Salomon and Chadli – who’s gone off to Russia – so we’ll see what state he comes back in and how he feels.”

Pulis will take the Watford game into account when he picks his starting line-up for Old Trafford, although the players won’t be focusing on the Hornets until after their match with United.

Matt Phillips is the only injury concern at the moment after James Morrison, who missed the previous game against Arsneal, played 81 minutes for Scotland at the weekend.

“The games will be differently managed by us without a question of a doubt,” said Pulis. “Each game will pose us different problems.

"We’ll have all the stuff from Watford this week but we’ll concentrate solely on United up until 5pm Saturday and then we’ll switch attention.

“We’ll have the Watford game covered this weekend and we’ll know from previous games we’ve played, the system and shape they’ve played. We’ll try and put something together to win a game of football.”