West Brom suffer two injury aggravations before Watford clash

West Bromwich Albion are likely to have to make do without two important players against Watford.

Grady Diangana and Kyle Bartley are unlikely to play for West Brom against Watford this weekend due to aggravated injuries and fitness difficulties.

Diangana was expected to return against Coventry City on Wednesday, but the winger was not even added to the matchday squad. Bartley, however, had just recently resumed playing full 90 minutes in matches following a knee injury, but the seasoned centre-half lacked the energy to play again.

Head coach Carlos Corberan feels for Diangana in particular, knowing how hard the Congolese has worked to recover from his calf problem. “Unfortunately it is being frustrating because we know how important he was,” Corberan said following the 2-0 triumph over the Sky Blues.
“There is no major injury, but we are missing an important player who we would have liked to have with us. We still need to wait. Let us see. I thought he’d be in the group today, but he was in discomfort again yesterday, so he’s not feeling available for the squad.”
Diangana is unlikely to play at Vicarage Road this Sunday, but never say never. Albion could benefit from the former West Ham United player’s comeback, since Mikey Johnston, Karlan Grant, and Tom Fellows are playing the majority of their available minutes and could use a break at some point.

A similar dilemma could arise in defence, since without Bartley, there are only two fit centre-backs: Torbjorn Heggem and Mason Holgate. Bartley did appear in some manner against Coventry, however, as he finished the game from the bench.
“He didn’t feel the necessary energy to start the game,” Corberan said of Bartley. “There is no trouble with the knee. It’s a bodily development. Some players need longer to restore their rhythm; you may need to play three games in a row.
It’s unclear whether Bartley will have enough energy to start against Watford, but he surely has a better chance than Diangana. When both are fully recovered, West Brom will experience a revitalized sense of depth.