Tonight’s game at the Hawthorns between two teams on a difficult run of results could prove pivotal for the remainder of the season. Russell Martin leads Swansea City in to the game, the swans last win on the road was away at Barnsley in November. Steve Bruce on the other hand is in charge of the baggies who have won only twice in their last twelve league games.

Steve Bruce takes charge of his fifth baggies league game tonight, the sixty one year old now managing his twelfth football club is yet to see his side win a game. There will be a desperation in the ground tonight for his side to win. They are now thirteenth in the Championship just eight points ahaead of the swans. West Brom’s dramatic fall down the league this season has seen them part company with Valérien Ishmael, then choosing Bruce in a final bid to earn a place in the play offs.

Bruce also sounded desperate when he said on Saturday. "It's a football cliche. But you just need one win. You just need a one nil, in off the referee, off someone's backside, whatever. Usually when a new manager goes in, there's a bit of a bounce, which we haven't been able to create. We haven't been able to sustain it over a full ninety minutes, which is a bit of a concern, but it's my job to try and turn it round and get that win, because a win changes a lot, very quickly, in this league or any other."

In that regard the swans may fancy this one, however there is one problem, new West Brom signing Andy Carroll. Already on the scoresheet for Reading against the swans this season he is as confident as any player when facing Swansea City. Carroll has scored seven goals in eleven matches against the swans, more than any other club he has faced. In his last six appearances against Swansea he has scored five goals.

Then there’s the stat that Swansea City haven’t won at the Hawthorns in their last six attempts.The last victory coming in the premier league in 2013. The baggies have striker Daryl Dike out injured as well as Matt Phillips. Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is described as fifty fifty after not training due to an illness. Bruce summed up his clubs position and those missing players pre match “They are the main concerns. Also, are you going to see them effectively before the end of the season ? It's one thing to get fit, then you've got to get them match sharp too. Then you have Grady Diangana. What a good player he can be. We all knew what he was a couple of years ago when he was in the Championship. He was arguably as good as player as there was at the time and one of the main reasons why Albion got promoted. We have to try and ignite him. But it's very difficult when you get into this rut where you don't win. Confidence ebbs away. They've been playing a certain way for seven months I come in and I'm not going to try and rip it up in a week. The bottom line is that we can't score a goal and to win a football match for West Brom, we have to score a goal."

That’s our look at West Bromwich Albion before tonight’s game which is LIVE on Sky Sports and commentary is also available on Talk Sport. Further match day information later.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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