Premier League West Brom vs Everton

West Brom vs Everton

New West Brom head coach Pepe Mel faces a potential striker shortage for his first game in charge on Monday.

Victor Anichebe and Stephane Sessegnon are both injury doubts and Shane Long has joined Hull.
Everton defender Sylvain Distin is likely to be available after a three-match absence with a hamstring strain.
New signing Aiden McGeady could make his debut, but defender Antolin Alcaraz and midfielder Ross Barkley are still on the sidelines.

MATCH PREVIEW

Pepe Mel will hope to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors such as Mowbray, Di Matteo, Hodgson and Clarke by avoiding defeat in his first match in charge of West Brom.
He says: "My plan is to win, it is my only mentality and I hope to see the fans doing the 'boing-boing' very soon."

Albion have moved away from their yo-yo existence of previous years but some have described this appointment as a gamble in the club's fourth successive season in the top flight.

Mel could have inherited a far more threatening scenario had it not been for Keith Downing and Dean Kiely. The pair deserve credit for providing much-needed stability during the managerial uncertainty, and last weekend's setback at Southampton was the club's first league defeat since Steve Clarke was removed.
Mel, sacked by Real Betis in December with the club bottom of La Liga, knows all about the pressures of relegation. However, his overall record in Spain was good but there will be no honeymoon period at The Hawthorns.
His first priority will be to navigate Albion away from the cluster of clubs in the congested corridor above the trapdoor.
There was a time when Everton would flirt with relegation, but continuity brought consistency under David Moyes and Roberto Martinez has built on that platform to now challenge for a Champions League place. This is their best return after 21 games of a season in 35 years.
The match sees the return to The Hawthorns of Romelu Lukaku, who was involved in a tug of war between the two clubs for his services on deadline day in August.
His 17 goals on loan at West Brom last season ensured his popularity but whether it's still intact after he opted for Everton because they were "a more prominent club" remains to be seen.
What might increase the angst of Albion fans is that Lukaku is due a goal after scoring just one sincethe end of November, but you would have to say his choice of Everton has been vindicated.