Albion Under-21s will look for a return to winning ways in the Premier League 2 when they host Sunderland on Monday afternoon (ko 1pm).
A win could get Richard Beale’s youngsters into the top 16 where, should they remain in those positions until the end of the season, they would qualify for the PL2 play-offs.
Last time out
The Baggies’ young pros saw their nine-game unbeaten run in PL youth competitions come to an end following a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Second-half goals from Ademola Ola-Adebomi and Hindolo Mustapha earned the Eagles the spoils in Solihull last Monday.
Venue
Monday’s match will be the first game hosted at the West Bromwich Albion Training Ground by the 21s this term.
Pre-match thoughts
Attacker Akeel Higgins is intent on continuing his good start to 2025 when the Black Cats visit Albion’s training base.
There’s plenty on the mind for the tricky forward from now until the end of the season, and with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign, the Birmingham-born academy graduate is keen to put all his efforts into prolonging his stay at The Hawthorns.
Naturally, though, the bigger picture for Higgins is making that all-important transition into men’s football, with the 19-year-old far from pleased with just a singular senior appearance to his name.
Said outing came for the Baggies during their Emirates FA Cup win over Aldershot Town in January 2024, and although the current campaign has been a slow burner for attacker, the turn of the year has done Akeel the world of good.
Things have started to come together for the youngster, who’s been at the club since U13s - bagging a hat-trick of assists during a 5-0 win over Liverpool, before scoring a sensational solo goal against Newcastle earlier in February.
He’s keen to add to that tally against Sunderland in the PL2 team’s next game, fight for his future at The Hawthorns, and show the people who matter he is ready to make the next step in the professional game.
“At the start of the season, my goal contributions weren’t really where I wanted them to be as an attacking player and, obviously, that's what I get judged on as an attacker.
“I had a little drought with assists and goals, it was a slow start to the season, but as soon as the new year started, I began to kick on.
“Since the Liverpool game, where I grabbed three assists, it's been going very well so I just want to keep it going.
“My game is getting the ball in tight areas, putting that into play, and scoring a goal against Newcastle was very nice for me. Credit has to go to Eseosa (Sule) for that one because he took one of the players away, which opened up the space for me to have a crack at goal.
“I just have to keep that same level-headed mentality and I'm pretty sure I'll be in a good place. I really thrive under pressure and don't think about anything else that's happening in the future.
“I've been here since for 13 years, so it's been a really long time up to my second year as a professional. The club has played a big part in developing me as a football player, so all credit has to go to Albion and I'm very grateful to them.
“The guys here are really looking forward to pushing up the table. The top 12 sides play the European teams next season and that's what we all want to do, to get out there and see what other teams are like and their different styles of play.
“We only play against teams from this country, so playing different players from abroad would help our development in a different way as well.
"We went, what was it, nine games without losing? That was really good and it shows our team spirit is really high. We're all performing very well and I believe if we continue the way we’re going, we’ll get where we want to be.
“I really need exposure to men's football, but for now it’s about staying focused on what's in front of me.”
How to follow
Tickets will be unavailable for Monday's match against the Sunderland at the West Bromwich Albion Training Ground.
A live stream will not be provided for the match. Fans can follow updates on the game across the club's social media channels.
