Preview: Chesterfield vs. West Bromwich Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts head into the clash on the back of a 4-1 thumping of Scunthorpe United, while the Baggies ran out 1-0 victors over Reading in their most recent Championship battle.

Match preview

Chesterfield's push for a return to League Two football is gathering momentum by the week, and the Spireites' bid for a podium place in the National League table was boosted further in a demolition of Scunthorpe on New Year's Day.

Cameron Wilson opened the scoring for the visitors to the Proact Stadium with 20 minutes on the clock, but Armando Dobra, Akwasi Asante, Jeff King and Kabongo Tshimanga responded emphatically for Paul Cook's men, who are still harbouring aspirations of a National League title.

Sitting third in the National League table with 49 points from their 23 outings so far, Chesterfield have two games in hand on league leaders Notts County - who are nine points better off - while second-placed Wrexham have a seven-point buffer having played a game more.

Cook's side will temporarily take a break from their promotion charge as they seek a first FA Cup fourth-round berth since the 2014-15 season, having been comfortably seen off 5-1 by Chelsea at this stage of the tournament in 2021-22.

Anstey Nomads, Northampton Town and AFC Wimbledon have all suffered FA Cup exits at the hands of Chesterfield this season, and seven of the hosts' last eight home games have ended in victory - a flicker of a warning for West Brom despite their own strong run of form.

West Brom are still playing catch-up to the rest of the promotion-chasing pack in the Championship, but the Baggies have shown plenty of signs of life since the appointment of Carlos Corberan and have developed an affinity for clean sheets in recent encounters.

Fresh from 2-0 victories over Bristol City and Preston North End to round off 2022, the Baggies entered 2023 with a narrow yet pivotal triumph at home to Reading on Monday, where Daryl Dike headed home the only goal of the contest on the 60-minute mark.

Despite now remarkably winning eight of their last nine matches in the second tier, Corberan's outfit are yet to succeed in their quest to break into the top six - occupying ninth place with 38 points but sitting just one point worse off than Millwall in the final playoff spot.

Maintaining a charge for the elusive playoff berths will no doubt be the priority for Corberan, who is now tasked with avoiding a third-straight third-round FA Cup elimination for West Brom, who have won the trophy five times but not since the 1967-68 campaign.

Regular foes in the early 20th century, Chesterfield and West Brom will be locking horns for the first time since the 1948-49 Division Two season, where both games ended in a drab goalless draw.

Chesterfield FA Cup form:

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Chesterfield form (all competitions):

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West Bromwich Albion form (all competitions):

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Team News

Chesterfield boss Cook was given a red card in the Boxing Day win over Scunthorpe before the hosts' clash with the same opponents a few days later, although he is still waiting to hear the outcome of any disciplinary action.

Cook was in the dugout on New Year's Day and could be so again here unless he hears differently, and the Spireites' manager has no fresh injury concerns to take into account from New Year's Day.

A near-identical XI should be fielded by Cook for this encounter, but Tshimanga's goal off the bench against Scunthorpe will aid his efforts of coming back in over Joe Quigley.

As for West Brom, Corberan was dealt another defensive injury blow when Erik Pieters came off with a knock to the knee against Reading, but the ex-Burnley man is not thought to be nursing anything serious.

A quick return for Pieters would be timely as Kyle Bartley remains out of contention after a setback in his recovery from a muscle injury, while fellow centre-back Kean Bryan is also sidelined with his cruciate ligament injury.

Semi Ajayi should be in line for a recall if Pieters is spared for this contest, while David Button, Tom Rogic and Karlan Grant could also earn starts as Corberan rings the changes.

Chesterfield possible starting lineup:

Fitzsimons; King, Grimes, Palmer, Clements; Jones, Oldaker; Asante, Mandeville, Dobra; Tshimanga

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

Button; Gardner-Hickman, O'Shea, Ajayi, Townsend; Molumby, Yokuslu; Diangana, Rogic, Grant; Thomas-Asante

We say: Chesterfield 1-3 West Bromwich Albion

A Chesterfield side with a taste for goals and victories on their own patch should experience some joy against a ravaged West Brom backline, but the odd consolation goal may be the only aspect of the game worth looking back on.

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