Steve Clarke’s Baggies host the Hammers at the Hawthorns.

A year ago West Brom sat 15th in the Premier League and West Ham were in the Championship, so now to find the two in sixth and 11th at the start of this weekend shows the genuine progress the clubs can be proud to have made.

Though both are currently in deflating form, their encouraging starts to the season have more than offset recent blips.

Steve Clarke is facing his first true challenge in management, with the Baggies on a run of three straight defeats.

Only below the Champions League positions on goal difference prior to the latest round of fixtures, he can at least negotiate this puzzling run from a relative position of comfort thanks to the Baggies’ 12-point haul in November, which earned Clarke his first manager of the month award.

SOURCE: BBC Sport

Venue The Hawthorns, Sunday 4pm

Tickets Here

Last season n/a

Referee Phil Dowd

This season’s matches 10 Y28, R2, 3.00 cards per game

Odds West Brom evens West Ham 14-5 Draw 12-5

West Bromwich Albion

Subs from Daniels, Foster, Popov, Rosenberg, El Ghanassy, Dorrans, Jara, Jones, Tamas, Lukaku, Fortuné, Thorne, Dawson, Roofe, Sawyers

Doubtful Foster (groin), Yacob (groin), Ridgewell (ankle)

Suspended None

Form guide LLLWWW

Disciplinary record Y29 R1

Leading scorers Long, Lukaku 5

West Ham United

Subs from Spiegel, Potts, Spence, McCartney, Moncur, O’Neil, Fanimo, Maiga, Hall, Driver, Tombides

Doubtful McCartney (knee)

Injured Vaz Tê (shoulder, 29 Dec), Benayoun (knee, 29 Dec), Diarra (thigh, Jan), Carroll (knee, Jan), Diamé (hamstring, Feb), Collison (knee, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LWLLDW

Disciplinary record Y33 R0

Leading scorer Nolan 5

SOURCE: Guardian

STAT-ATTACK

Head-to-head

The last three meetings between the sides have ended in draws. West Ham recovered from three goals down to draw 3-3 at The Hawthorns when the sides last met on 12 February 2011.

The Hammers have only lost one of their last nine league and cup matches away to the Baggies (W5, D3, L1).

West Bromwich Albion

The Baggies have lost their last three league games. Defeat on Saturday would represent their longest losing streak since a run of five straight losses between December 2010 and January 2011.

Steve Clarke’s side have won all five league matches in which they led at half-time this season, but have lost all four in which they trailed at the break.

West Brom have recorded seven clean sheets in their last 12 league games at The Hawthorns, but only one in their last five.

They have gained just one point from losing positions this term, the joint-worst record in the top flight.

West Ham United

Sam Allardyce’s men have lost three of their last four league matches, and have kept two clean sheets in the last 12 games.

The Hammers are the only team yet to concede a headed goal in this season’s Premier League.

They are also the only team to have used all three substitutes in every Premier League game so far this season.

SOURCE: BBC Sport

Tickets still available for top football matches – West Brom tickets