West Bromwich Albion will be aiming to grab their first win of the 2022/23 season with a Carabao Cup victory over Sheffield United on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, the Blades hope to continue a winning run after beating Millwall in their second fixture of the EFL Championship campaign.
The two clubs have met just once in this competition when Albion completed a 2-1 win in the second round of the 1974 edition of the cup.
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Team news
West Bromwich Albion
Steve Bruce’s Baggies will be without striker Daryl Dike after the forward suffered a thigh problem during training last week.
It is the second injury the American has sustained since making his transatlantic move from Orlando City in January, the first being a hamstring tweak picked up on his home debut that kept him out of action until the beginning of this season.
He will undergo a scan to discover the severity of the tweak during the next week.
Bruce’s line-up will likely have a younger look to it, with the likes of Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Zac Ashworth possibly in contention to make an appearance after their first-team debut last season.
Sheffield United
Paul Heckingbottom could give opportunities to new loan signings Reda Khadra and James McAtee who have recently arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City respectively with both yet to make their Blades debuts.
Captain Billy Sharp missed the majority of pre-season due to injury, the striker is likely to be used in the cup in order to build up fitness.
Defender Chris Basham missed the opening game due to a hamstring injury but is now back and available for selection, this first-round tie could provide ample opportunity to get him back up to speed.
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Likely lineups
West Bromwich Albion
(4-2-3-1) Palmer, Gardner-Hickman, Bartley, Ajayi, Ashworth, Yokuslu, Mowatt, Diangana, Robinson, Phillips, Grant
Sheffield United
(3-4-3) Foderingham, Basham, Gordon, Clark, Lowe, McAtee, Fleck, Osborn, Khadra, Sharp, Jebbison
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Key players
Taylor Gardner-Hickman
After being given ample first-team opportunity under both Valerien Ismael and Bruce last season, Gardner-Hickman hasn’t featured in either of the first two games.
Apt in various positions, the 21-year-old is in need of some game time to avoid stunting his development, with this Carabao Cup clash providing the perfect opportunity to impress the four-time promotion winner.
The academy product has played the majority of his football at right wing-back but finds himself able to cover a variety of roles.
Daniel Jebbison
Jebbison’s impressive loan spell at Burton Albion led many to believe he could be the answer to Heckingbottom’s striking problems.
However, the 19-year-old is yet to score a Championship goal for the Blades, despite making 10 appearances for them in the division.
The England under-19 international could be given a start in the cup and in turn given the chance to spark his second-tier career into life.
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Match details
Where is the game being played?
The match will be played at The Hawthorns in the West Midlands home of West Bromwich Albion F.C.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off is set for 20:00 (BST) on Thursday, August 11.
How can I watch?
The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event for subscription holders. Audio streams will also be available with the purchase of a match pass on WBA TV or iFollow.