Team news for the Capital One Cup tie between West Bromwich Albion and Hull City at The Hawthorns on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 (kick-off 8pm). Scroll down for Philip Buckingham's preview.Hull City team newsHatem Ben Arfa will make his full Hull City debut as Steve Bruce rings the changes for Wednesday night's Capital One Cup third round tie at West Brom. The forward has been working on his fitness since signing on a season-long loan from Newcastle on deadline day and is now considered ready for a start.
Ben Arfa will be one of many players given the opportunity to impress ahead of the Premier League clash with Manchester City on Saturday.
The vast majority of the side that drew 2-2 with Newcastle United at the weekend will be rested and that will mean Steve Harper, James Chester, Paul McShane, Harry Maguire, David Meyler, Robbie Brady, Tom Ince and Yannick Sagbo all coming into contention. Alex Bruce, who became a father for the second time on Sunday, is also being considered for a start against the Baggies.
City will be without Gaston Ramirez, Mohamed Diame (both cup-tied) and Robert Snodgrass (knee), while Abel Hernandez and Nikica Jelavic will have a chance to put their feet up after facing a hectic schedule of international duty and Premier League games this month.Likely Hull City starting line-up to face West Brom: Harper; Chester, Bruce, McShane; Rosenior, Livermore, Meyler, Brady; Ben Arfa; Aluko, Sagbo.
West Bromwich Albion team news West Brom boss Alan Irvine could make 11 changes as he prioritises this weekend's Premier League game at home to Burnley. The Baggies boss has a near fully-fit squad to choose from and Wednesday night's team to face Hull City will be unrecognisable to the one that won at Tottenham on Sunday. One of the beneficiaries will be ex-Tiger Boaz Myhill, who is expected to replace Ben Foster in goal, just as he did in the second round tie with Oxford. Others hoping for a recall are Gareth McAuley, Chris Baird, Youssouf Mulumbu, Claudio Yacob and Victor Anichebe. Record signing Ideye Brown, landed for £10m this summer, is also likely to be included as he bids to sharpen his match fitness, along with the on-loan winger Sebastian Blanco. Irvine will have to give a late fitness test to Georgios Samaras. The Greek international suffered a knock in the build-up to Sunday's trip to Spurs and was not risked. Only if he has fully recovered will he be given a place on the bench. One player almost certainly ruled out is Joleon Lescott. The defender, who almost signed for City this summer, will be rested after a stellar Premier League debut. Likely West Brom starting line-up to face Hull City: Myhill; Baird, McAuley, Olsson, Davidson; Gamboa, Mulumbu, Yacob, Blanco; Anichebe, Ideye.
Key clash: James Chester v Victor Anichebe If there is one player who can count himself unfortunate to be warming the Hull City bench of late it is the talented central defender James Chester. Michael Dawson's arrival has pushed Chester down the pecking order after he sat out the trip to Aston Villa through suspension, and Wednesday night's game will be his first club start in almost a month. There is little doubt Chester remains up to the challenge but he will be keen to give his manager Steve Bruce a reminder by containing West Brom's attack. Victor Anichebe started the season as the Baggies' leading front man and the £6m striker is another who will want to seize his chance if recalled.
West Brom form guide A sense of relief was palpable as West Brom earned their first victory of the season at the weekend. Two points from the first four Premier League games had supporters questioning the wisdom of appointing Alan Irvine in the summer but a fine victory at Tottenham will help settle everyone down. Even getting this far in the Capital One Cup had been an ordeal. A home tie with Oxford United last month went all the way to a tense penalty shoot-out. The only way is up after finishing 17th last term, but survival is the only clear target for this campaign. Fans will have hoped West Brom's days of bouncing between the Championship and the Premier League were finally over and will be keen to ensure a fifth consecutive year in the top flight is not their last for the time being.
Philip Buckingham's preview Welcome to Hull City's final frontier. No longer are adventures in the Premier League and the FA Cup reserved for others following the famous breakthroughs of recent years, yet success in the League Cup continues to elude the Tigers. English football's third competition has long been a byword for disappointment. Only four times have City reached the last 16 and one of those came last year when losing on a penalty shoot-out at Tottenham. The quarter-finals still represent unchartered ground. All that could be about to change, though. Not only do City join on Wednesday night in the third round, cashing in on the favouritism afforded to clubs involved in European football, they begin better equipped than ever before. Manager Steve Bruce intends to make changes across the board when visiting Premier League rivals West Brom, but even a supposed second string is capable of beginning an unprecedented League Cup run in the Black Country. As well as those who were regulars of last season – Liam Rosenior, James Chester, David Meyler et al – there will be players hungry to prove themselves worthy of a Premier League call. None more so than Hatem Ben Arfa, the man capable of so much magic. The side fielded by Bruce could feasibly appear stronger than many rolled out last season and for that reason the League Cup could finally deliver some joy.Prediction: West Brom 0 Hull City 2.
West Bromwich Albion team news West Brom boss Alan Irvine could make 11 changes as he prioritises this weekend's Premier League game at home to Burnley. The Baggies boss has a near fully-fit squad to choose from and Wednesday night's team to face Hull City will be unrecognisable to the one that won at Tottenham on Sunday. One of the beneficiaries will be ex-Tiger Boaz Myhill, who is expected to replace Ben Foster in goal, just as he did in the second round tie with Oxford. Others hoping for a recall are Gareth McAuley, Chris Baird, Youssouf Mulumbu, Claudio Yacob and Victor Anichebe. Record signing Ideye Brown, landed for £10m this summer, is also likely to be included as he bids to sharpen his match fitness, along with the on-loan winger Sebastian Blanco. Irvine will have to give a late fitness test to Georgios Samaras. The Greek international suffered a knock in the build-up to Sunday's trip to Spurs and was not risked. Only if he has fully recovered will he be given a place on the bench. One player almost certainly ruled out is Joleon Lescott. The defender, who almost signed for City this summer, will be rested after a stellar Premier League debut. Likely West Brom starting line-up to face Hull City: Myhill; Baird, McAuley, Olsson, Davidson; Gamboa, Mulumbu, Yacob, Blanco; Anichebe, Ideye.
Key clash: James Chester v Victor Anichebe If there is one player who can count himself unfortunate to be warming the Hull City bench of late it is the talented central defender James Chester. Michael Dawson's arrival has pushed Chester down the pecking order after he sat out the trip to Aston Villa through suspension, and Wednesday night's game will be his first club start in almost a month. There is little doubt Chester remains up to the challenge but he will be keen to give his manager Steve Bruce a reminder by containing West Brom's attack. Victor Anichebe started the season as the Baggies' leading front man and the £6m striker is another who will want to seize his chance if recalled.
West Brom form guide A sense of relief was palpable as West Brom earned their first victory of the season at the weekend. Two points from the first four Premier League games had supporters questioning the wisdom of appointing Alan Irvine in the summer but a fine victory at Tottenham will help settle everyone down. Even getting this far in the Capital One Cup had been an ordeal. A home tie with Oxford United last month went all the way to a tense penalty shoot-out. The only way is up after finishing 17th last term, but survival is the only clear target for this campaign. Fans will have hoped West Brom's days of bouncing between the Championship and the Premier League were finally over and will be keen to ensure a fifth consecutive year in the top flight is not their last for the time being.
Philip Buckingham's preview Welcome to Hull City's final frontier. No longer are adventures in the Premier League and the FA Cup reserved for others following the famous breakthroughs of recent years, yet success in the League Cup continues to elude the Tigers. English football's third competition has long been a byword for disappointment. Only four times have City reached the last 16 and one of those came last year when losing on a penalty shoot-out at Tottenham. The quarter-finals still represent unchartered ground. All that could be about to change, though. Not only do City join on Wednesday night in the third round, cashing in on the favouritism afforded to clubs involved in European football, they begin better equipped than ever before. Manager Steve Bruce intends to make changes across the board when visiting Premier League rivals West Brom, but even a supposed second string is capable of beginning an unprecedented League Cup run in the Black Country. As well as those who were regulars of last season – Liam Rosenior, James Chester, David Meyler et al – there will be players hungry to prove themselves worthy of a Premier League call. None more so than Hatem Ben Arfa, the man capable of so much magic. The side fielded by Bruce could feasibly appear stronger than many rolled out last season and for that reason the League Cup could finally deliver some joy.Prediction: West Brom 0 Hull City 2.
