The Brighton loanee has been limited to late substitute appearances in West Brom’s last two matches but could be set to have an impact from kick-off in an attempt to boost the Baggies’ goal threat.
This move would see John Swift relegated to the bench, while Conor Townsend comes in to replace Matthew Phillips in the midfield.
Alex Palmer will hope to earn his first clean sheet of the season against Michael Carrick’s side but will face a tough challenge against quality opponents. He was a standout for Carlos Corberan’s side against Leeds on Friday (18 August) with three saves, two successful run outs and seven accurate long balls. SofaScore
Ahead of him, the three regular defenders keep their place. Having started the last two Championship clashes, Corberan could have found his permanent backline in Semi Ajayi, Cedric Kipre and Erik Pieters until at least January.
The Baggies need to concede fewer goals than they have if they want to earn at least a playoff spot, but this back three should do for now. Kipre had a particularly good game against Leeds last time out, with one block, six clearances and committing no fouls across the full 90 minutes.
Further up the field, Corberan could feel the need to drop Matthew Phillips in favour of Connor Townsend. The 32-year-old did not have a good outing at Elland Road and in the Baggies’ attempts to secure a second win of the season, he should be dropped.
Corberan was quick to praise the veteran, with the Express and Star reporting (22 August) he said: “He is a player who is key to have at the club and in the squad because his level of commitment is the maximum he can have.”
However, his stats don’t lie and with three points needed this weekend, he may face the chop. With just 53 per cent pass accuracy, one accurate cross offering virtually nothing going forward, Townsend feels like the natural replacement to come back into the side after starting in the 3-2 victory over Swansea.
The remainder of the midfield could remain unchanged, however. Jayson Molumby and Okay Yokuslu cover a lot of ground in the middle of the park and are key in retaining possession, while Darnell Furlong’s frequent positioning gives the Baggies the width required.
Sarmiento could be a happy man on Saturday if Corberan gives him a deserved start. His previous cameos have not given West Brom fans much to get excited about, but Swift’s unimpactful display last week suggests that the Brighton man should be given the nod.
Captain Jed Wallace remains in the side with his leadership on and off the pitch has been recognised by Corberan. Brandon Thomas-Asante naturally retains his spot after his goal against Leeds. He will have been very happy to get off the mark this season and will be relied upon throughout the season to get the goals.
