West Bromwich Albion vs Swansea City

30th September

West Bromwich Albion return to action following the international break with a home game against Swansea City on Saturday afternoon (ko 3pm).

The Baggies will be hoping to kick October off with a welcome win having claimed just one league victory this season.

Steve Bruce's side delivered a spirited performance at Norwich City in their final game of September, but were made to settle for their seventh draw of the campaign.

Visitors Swansea City sit inside the bottom half of the division on 12 points from 10 games.

Russell Martin's men have won two of their last three matches though, having triumphed in just one of their first seven this term.

Swansea City will be the sixth visitors to The Hawthorns in the league this season

Follow the game live

Supporters can listen to live audio commentary of Albion's clash with Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.

WBA Radio pair Gez Mulholland and Andy Johnson will bring you every kick from The Hawthorns.

Commentary will start at 2.45pm. Audio passes can be purchased for £2.50 here.

Albion fans outside the United Kingdom can watch the game live on WBA TV. A video match pass is available to purchase for £10 here.

Live updates will also be posted across the club's social media channels throughout the afternoon.

Our opponents

Swansea City may just have turned a corner in the Sky Bet Championship after what was a slow start to the season for Russell Martin's men.

The Swans head to The Hawthorns having won two of their last three games in the league, while also shipping just two goals in their last four games in the second tier.

Saturday's guests won just one of their first eight games in all competitions, but their 3-0 victory over Hull City in their most recent match suggests their season may just be on the up.

Swansea were relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2017/18 campaign and are now in their fifth successive term in the division. They've only finished outside the top ten once in the past four years, coming 15th in 2021/22.

Joel Piroe, the 23-year-old Dutchman who scored both home and away against Albion last season, is currently their top scorer with four goals.

Swansea will be searching for their third win in four on Saturday

From the Albion Archive

Albion produced an emphatic showing against Swansea City in December 2019, securing a 5-1 Sky Bet Championship victory at The Hawthorns.

Semi Ajayi, Matheus Pereira, Hal Robson-Kanu, Matty Phillips and Kyle Edwards all found the net, with Swansea's Sam Surridge on target for the away side.

One for the stattos

Albion's clash with Swansea City will be just the second time the two teams have met at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon at The Hawthorns in the last nine head-to-heads in B71.

The only other time the Baggies played the Swans at 3pm on a Saturday in the West Midlands was in April 2018 - a 1-1 draw.

Five of the last seven meetings on Albion soil have been on either a Monday, a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

Salomon Rondon scored a hat-trick against the Swans on Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Fan Zone

The Fan Zone will be open from midday on Saturday and free to enter for both West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City supporters with a match ticket.

Fans can take advantage of on-stage events, live football on the big screen, plenty of food and drink offerings and several activities for children.

Travel disruptions

Owing to a nationwide train strike on Saturday, October 1, there will be no rail services operating.

Supporters heading to The Hawthorns on Saturday are advised to click here to map out their journey.

1st October

Albion were beaten 3-2 by Swansea City at The Hawthorns on Saturday.

Matt Sorinola’s strike ensured the Welsh team held a half-time advantage, but Albion came back to lead during the second period through Jake Livermore and Grady Diangana goals.

The Welsh side then netted twice in the last 20 minutes to claim the win – Olivier Ntcham and Michael Obafemi scoring either side of Karlan Grant’s late penalty miss.

The manager made one change to the starting XI as he swapped Jayson Molumby out for Tom Rogic – handing the Australian his Albion debut.

Swansea began brightly, though, and grabbed the lead inside six minutes when Sorinola evaded his marker and fumbled home from a corner.

It was a difficult start for the hosts, however they did start creating chances midway through the opening period. Their first came via Diangana, who saw a low shot smartly parried by Swansea goalkeeper Steven Benda.

Albion were pushing for an equaliser with the break closing in – but the unfortunate Brandon Thomas-Asante had a close-range flick saved before Diangana headed wide and Jed Wallace volleyed off-target.

Jed Wallace has a shot saved against Swansea City

The Baggies came out on the front foot and managed to level proceedings shortly after the interval. A set-piece caused havoc in the area and, following a bit of pinball, Livermore was on hand to side-foot into the bottom corner.

Jake Livermore celebrates his goal against Swansea City

And Steve Bruce’s team turned the game around on the 65-minute mark thanks to Diangana. The winger found space on the left of the box and drilled home to put his side ahead.

Grady Diangana celebrates his goal against Swansea

Swansea didn’t crumble and, instead, quickly fought back to net their second of the afternoon through substitute Ntcham’s long-range effort.

Albion pushed forward once more and were handed a golden opportunity to claim all three points 10 minutes from time. Karlan Grant, recently brought on, won a penalty and dusted himself down to take it – yet found the leg of Benda down the middle of the goal.

Frustratingly, the visitors then, in the final moments, stole the victory as Obafemi turned and finished past Button with just 60 seconds remaining.

Albion: Button; Furlong, O’Shea, Townsend, Pieters; Rogic (Molumby 57), Livermore (Yokuslu 75), Swift (Grant 75); Wallace (Phillips 90), Thomas-Asante, Diangana.

Substitutes: Palmer, Kelly, Reach.

Attendance: 22,369

Saturday 1st October 2022 - 15:00