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Yorkshireeveningpost 4mos ago
Leeds United play-off rivals facing double injury concern ahead of do or die final day clash
Source:Yorkshireeveningpost

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West Bromwich Albion are approaching a potential play-off campaign with a couple of fresh fitness concerns, Carlos Corberan has confirmed. The Baggies are currently sixth in the Championship table and should they keep hold of that spot this weekend, they could find themselves pitched against Leeds United in a two-legged play-off semi-final.

The West Midlands outfit have to secure their play-off spot first, of course, and they'll be looking to do enough to keep seventh placed Hull City at arm's reach when they take on Preston North End at The Hawthorns on Saturday. However, given they have taken four points off Leeds this season, West Brom would surely be confident of progression should that match up materialise.

Albion would be without long-term absentees Daryl Dike and Jayson Molumby in the play-offs, but it seems they have a couple more issues to worry about now going into this weekend's fixture and beyond. Brandon Thomas-Asante has missed some training this week due to a hamstring issue and it remains to be seen whether he'll be passed fit to be involved, while Corberan admits a late decision will be made on Matt Phillips, too.

"When you have a long week, not always the players are going to guarantee the same number of training sessions," Corberan said, per Birmingham Live. "Asante couldn't start the week well.

"Before the previous game, he was still feeling something in his hamstring. With the minutes he was playing, he still felt something. It's not muscle, it's nerve, but he didn't train the first day of this week. Right now, he's training normally with the group.

"On the last day, he wasn't ready to start, but I was thinking that Wallace was the one who had to play at the front because he was excellent against Leicester. At the same time, he was not ready to start. Phillips is another player that we have been managing this season. Let's see how he arrives on Friday, in the conditions or not. The other players have been training normally."

Norwich City are Leeds' only other potential play-off semi-final opponents with the Canaries taking on relegation threatened Birmingham City at St Andrew's on the final day. Leeds would obviously prefer to go up automatically this week, which remains a possibility despite the odds being stacked against them, but should they be forced to go through the play-offs, they might prefer to take on the Canaries.

Leeds picked up maximum points against David Wagner's side this season, while four points came against the Tigers and just one against West Brom.