Dwight Gayle banned for West Brom

Posted Monday, May 13, 2019 by PA

West Brom will be without top-scorer Dwight Gayle for the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final against Aston Villa at the Hawthorns.

The striker, on loan from Newcastle, scored his 24th goal of the season at Villa Park but was then sent off late on. His suspension will also rule him out of the final at Wembley, should Albion get there.

With Hal Robson-Kanu also suspended following his red card at Derby on the final day of the regular season, Jay Rodriguez will likely play as a lone striker on Tuesday night in a 4-5-1 formation.

That might mean a recall for attacking midfielder Rekeem Harper, who was left out of the squad altogether on Saturday for tactical reasons.

Villa boss Dean Smith expects to have a full squad available.

Villa’s defensive unit looks virtually set in stone, but Smith faces some selection dilemmas in midfield and attack as his side look to preserve their 2-1 lead from the first leg.

Midfielder Conor Hourihane came off the bench to inspire the comeback on Saturday, replacing Glenn Whelan, whose mistake led to West Brom taking the lead. His impact, together with the prospect of a second game in four days for 35-year-old Whelan, could see Hourihane get the nod.

Smith must also consider who lines up alongside Anwar El Ghazi and Tammy Abraham up front. Albert Adomah could keep his place but Andre Green and Jonathan Kodjia are options.