Huddersfield vs West Brom: Albion fans travelling with a short fuse

Pressure is beginning to mount on Tony Pulis this season and this fixture has grown in significance the nearer it has got.

Not only is it sandwiched in among three tricky games against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Tottenham, but it is precisely the sort of test that Pulis has come up short in so far.

Although he’s attempting to evolve the team’s threat from open play, the Baggies have coughed and spluttered in games against weaker opposition.

They looked limp and devoid of ideas against Brighton, West Ham, Watford and Southampton, and were guilty of playing their opposing teams into form with cautious tactics.

Huddersfield may be fighters, but they are just as vulnerable.

Even though the Terriers are riding on the emotional wave of their first season in the Premier League and they beat Manchester United two games ago, there is trouble in paradise.

They’ve only scored three goals in their last eight league games and only managed to find the net in two of those fixtures. But Pulis is expecting a hostile atmosphere.

“The clubs who are promoted, their first seasons in the Premier League is all fresh and new, so they’re excited win, lose or draw,” he said.

“The atmosphere that is generated, we went to Brighton, I’ve been to Huddersfield this season, it’s an extraordinary atmosphere so you’re always going to get that with newly-promoted clubs.”

The home fans won’t turn that easy then, but the away end will.

Away fans are a passionate bunch who support their club through thick and thin, and the majority of the 2,340 Baggies making the trip to the John Smith’s Stadium are travelling with a short fuse.

They’ve only seen their team win once on the road in 2017 and that was an undeserved smash-and-grab at Turf Moor.

Defeat may not signal the end of Pulis’s Albion career, but it would certainly be a long way back from a poor performance.

He only has two injured players still sidelined and even though James Morrison and Craig Dawson are arguably in the strongest XI, he has enough back-up to deal with their absences.

Oliver Burke is fit and raring to go following a half of football for the under-23s this week and it is precisely his sort of blistering pace the team has been missing in recent weeks.

Whether it’s Burke, Matt Phillips or James McClean, Albion could use someone with speed on the pitch. The only way Pulis will get away without it is by sticking two up front again and playing wing-backs.

Jay Rodriguez and Salomon Rondon were rejuvenated last weekend and looked threatening for the first time in a long while.

But whatever he decides, Pulis needs to get it right, or the fans will make their grievances heard, giving the board plenty of food for thought.

Baggies key man - Jay Rodriguez

The summer signing is the best finisher at the club and hopefully his third goal of the season last weekend will launch him on a goalscoring run. Albion need it.

Huddersfield dangerman - Aaron Mooy

The former Manchester City midfielder made his loan move permanent in the summer and has rewarded Huddersfield with a series of sparkling performances so far. Joint top scorer with two goals, the Australian makes the Terriers tick in midfield.

Likely line-ups

Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Smith, Jorgensen, Schindler, Lowe, Van La Parra, Williams, Hogg, Mooy, Ince, Mounie. Subs: Malone, Kachunga, Craine, Quaner, Green, Hadergjonaj, Depoitre.

Albion: Foster, Nyom, Evans, Hegazi McAuley, Gibbs, Barry, Livermore, Krychowiak, Rondon, Rodriguez. Subs: Myhill, Yacob, Phillips, Brunt, Chadli, McClean, Robson-Kanu.