West Bromwich Albion will be very content with how their Championship season is currently unfolding, sitting comfortably in a playoff spot with confidence sky-high for a trip to Millwall today.

Carlos Corberan and Co will want to taste promotion success now having turned into a side in no danger of dropping out of the top six positions, knowing that will be obviously far more difficult than it sounds on paper.

Yet, slipping up and succumbing to a couple of defeats on the spin could sap the feel-good factor at the Hawthorns on the contrary with one defender in danger of dropping out after an underwhelming display against Bristol City last time out.

The Baggies might well have won 2-0 come the full-time whistle, but the player in question's poor 45 minutes against the Robins means he could face the axe by Corberan today.

Erik Pieters' performance vs Bristol City in numbers

Erik Pieters' shaky 45 minutes against the Robins didn't end up costing his side dear, but the West Brom manager will be cautious to start the former Burnley man again after such an off performance.

The versatile Dutch defender has been reliably filling in when other members of the back four at the West Midlands club have been sidelined, making 22 Championship appearances to date this campaign.

He might not be able to add a 23rd appearance to his season tally at the Den, however, having failed to put in a single tackle in the first half against Liam Manning's men in a timid showing from the 35-year-old.

The former Clarets man would also only win one duel from his torrid 45-minute spell at the Hawthorns, with his replacement at half-time now in line to start over him against Millwall.

Kyle Bartley has been nursing various different injury knocks, but Corberan will be tempted to throw in the former Arsenal man into the heart of defence from the start against the Lions to then ditch Pieters in the process.

The player who could replace Erik Pieters

Labelled as being an "incredible" talent by ex-Baggies centre-forward Kevin Campbell when Corberan first emerged onto the scene as boss, which saw Bartley breathe life back into his stuttering West Brom career, it's a no-brainer to bring the experienced head back into defence today.

The 32-year-old had been a colossus in defence before picking up a recent injury issue, scoring three goals from the back whilst also ensuring Alex Palmer has 16 clean sheets next to his name behind him with imperious displays.

Bartley's 75-minute display in West Brom's 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town earlier in March is reason enough to reinstate the centre-back into the lineup, with the towering Baggies figure bundling in an all-important goal to make it 2-1 on the day.

It wasn't just this crucial strike that saw Bartley receive plaudits off the back of this comprehensive win, with the 6 foot 1 defender battling away at the back to help his team pick up a fantastic victory on the road.

Making seven clearances and winning five duels, Bartley standing firm when the Terriers attacked with the purpose in the first 45 minutes then gave his side the platform to overwhelm their hosts in the following one-sided half.

Minutes played

75

Goals

1

Touches

67

Accurate passes

49/54 (91%)

Duels won

5/6

Clearances

7

If West Brom are to shut out Millwall for the full 90 minutes, they'd do far worse than calling upon Bartley to take Pieters' spot in a change that could see the Baggies pick up another win in the division.

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