West Brom team news as Dara O'Shea plan is confirmed & Semi Ajayi update

West Brom are otherwise looking in good health as they cope with their Daryl Dike injury bombshell.

It’s back to square one for Valerien Ismael and his squad for the next two months at the very least, after it was confirmed on Tuesday that new signing Dike picked up a serious muscle injury which will rule him out of at least 11 Albion matches.

Those issues that Ismael and Albion faced up to before and over Christmas, as they cried out for the striker who was delivered to them on New Year’s Day, now look very real again unless they’re able to move quickly in the transfer window and source a short-term replacement.

Elsewhere, though, Albion are looking in better shape. Alex Mowatt and Sam Johnstone, fresh from serving their respective three-match bans, are back in contention to face Preston North End on Wednesday, after Ismael welcomed back Cedric Kipre and Kyle Bartley against Peterborough.

Dara O’Shea came through his 45 minutes in the 23s’ PL2 clash at Blues on Monday, too, so Ismael is a step closer to being able to call upon him.

“So far everyone is okay who trained today. Alex Mowatt will be back, Sam Johnstone available, so only Dike misses the game,” Ismael said. “Dara played with the 23s, so everything is better - except the big one. It’s painful but we have to deal with it. It doesn’t change our focus, with Dike, without Dike - the purpose is to win the game.”

Despite the major disappointment of losing Dike for the foreseeable future, the topic of O’Shea did bring a smile to Ismael’s face. He confirmed he chatted with the Irish international, who hasn’t played since August after fracturing his ankle against Portugal while playing for Ireland.

O’Shea will get more minutes in the 23s soon, and then be in