West Bromwich Albion

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

The injuries to Evanilson and Enes Unal this week are a blow for Bournemouth but, even without them, they are still dangerous going forward.

The Cherries are another club like Fulham and Brentford, where I look at them and hope they throw a lot at the FA Cup this season.

I said the same last year, when Bournemouth reached the last 16 for only the sixth time since they were founded in 1899, and lost to Leicester.

The furthest they have got is the quarter-finals, in 1957 and 2021, and they have never won a major trophy, so if you're a fan then you want them to have a real crack at it now they are doing so well in the Premier League.

So this should be the start of a cup run for Andoni Iraola's side, even if he makes a few changes.

I don't think Albion will be pushovers, but they are still managerless at the moment and Bournemouth should be too strong for them at home.

Billy's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Brunt admits it's been tough, but he can look back with satisfaction on his role as interim boss at West Bromwich Albion.

Saturday's FA Cup tie against Bournemouth is expected to be the last Albion game before a successor to Carlos Corberan is appointed at The Hawthorns.

Since stepping up alongside Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill, the Baggies have won one, drawn two and lost one.

Brunt told BBC Radio WM: "Hopefully the club will make the right appointment and I'll go back to my job and get on with it."

He admitted getting back into the day-to-day grind hadn't been easy, adding: "It's been a bit of a challenge. Credit to all the staff, everyone at the club has got round each other and supported in whatever way they can.

"It has been a draining couple of weeks but we have come out the other side with some good performances. The whole squad stood up and were counted when they were needed."

Brunt says he doesn't know what his future holds but added: "It's all experience. Some of it good, some of it tough. It's very different standing in a technical area watching a game rather than playing.

"I've learned a lot. There's a lot of stuff I'll take out and put in the bank and can draw on in future. If I do decide to go into (management) I have got some sort of experience of it."

The Baggies are back in the top-six in the Championship and Brunt added: "The goal at the end of it was to make sure we get points and leave the team no worse off than when Carlos had left on Christmas Eve. We've done that.

"It's nice to be able to hand over in a decent position and move forward after Christmas.

"If it's to be the last game on Saturday then hopefully we can get a decent result.

Albion travel to Bournemouth in the FA Cup 3rd Round and it's live on BBC Radio WM and BBC Sounds from 3pm on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

This is the first FA Cup meeting between Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion since January 1999, with the Cherries winning a third-round tie 1-0 thanks to an Eddie Howe goal.

Birmingham City are interested in signing Rangers defender Adam Devine but could face competition from fellow West Midlands side West Bromwich Albion. (Birmingham Mail, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip here.

West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United are among clubs interested in signing Liverpool forward Lewis Koumas, with the 19-year-old impressing in his 25 Championship appearances on loan at Stoke City this season. (Daily Mail, external)

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column.

Listen to BBC Radio WM commentator Steve Hermon provide an update on West Bromwich Albion's search for a new manager to replace Carlos Corberan.

You can also listen via BBC Sounds here.

Steve Hermon
BBC Radio WM commentator

Image source, BBC Sport

Albion have finalised their shortlist for a new head coach and interviews are under way.

Blackburn head coach John Eustace and Swiss manager Raphael Wicky are the latest names being linked with the role.

Despite the process of appointing a new head coach moving to the next stage, the Baggies expect to have the caretaker trio of Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill still in interim charge for the FA Cup game at Bournemouth on Saturday.

They have overseen four games so far picking up a win over Preston, two draws and one defeat, which came on Boxing Day at Derby. Those seven points have helped them maintain their place in the Championship play-offs.

However, the third-round tie at the Premier League Cherries is likely to be their last in charge, with the club aiming to appoint a new boss before the next league game against Stoke at The Hawthorns on 18 January.

West Brom returned to the play-off places courtesy of a home win against Preston on Wednesday.

Despite plenty of speculation that Swans boss Luke Williams might be the man to replace Carlos Corberan in the Baggies dugout, Chris Brunt looks set to lead Albion's interim coaching team once again for Saturday's 12:30 GMT kick-off.

Williams oversaw a 4-0 humbling at Portsmouth on New Year's Day as Swansea slipped to 12th, now six points adrift of the top-six.

• Swansea City have won seven of their past nine home league meetings with West Bromwich Albion (D1 L1), including in each of the last three seasons at the Swansea.com Stadium.

• West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 1-0 at home earlier this season, and last completed a league double over the Swans back in the 2018-19 campaign.

• Following a stoppage-time winning goal against Luton in their final game of 2024, Swansea could win three consecutive home league games for the first time since their final three such matches of the 2022-23 campaign.

• West Brom have won just one of their past 10 Championship away games (D6 L3) and have conceded first in their last three on the road (D1 L2) - this after winning their first three away matches of 2024-25.

• Gonçalo Franco is aiming to become the first non-British or Irish player to net in three consecutive home Championship appearances for Swansea City since Joel Piroe in November 2021 (five in a row).

Steve Hermon
BBC Radio WM commentator

West Bromwich Albion's search for a new head coach looks set to roll on after the latest name on the rumour mill was seemingly rubbished.

Swansea City head coach Luke Williams, who hadn't exactly distanced himself from the opening when asked about it after a 4-0 loss to Portsmouth on New Year's Day, saw his odds tumble to become favourite for the vacant role at The Hawthorns.

But it's my understanding that Williams isn't being pursued by the Baggies hierarchy who are still understood to be in no rush to appoint a full-time head coach as successor to Carlos Corberan following his Christmas Eve exit to Valencia.

Temporary management trio Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill have picked up four points from three games over the festive period to move Albion back into the play-off places. Some fans have even called for them to get the job.

But this will be Albion owners Bilkul WBA's first managerial appointment since completing their takeover 11 months ago and they want to get it right.

They want a tactically astute leader, who can motivate players but bring an expressive style. Williams ticked boxes, particularly with his work at previous club, Notts County, where he successfully competed with Wrexham to secure promotion back to the EFL via the 2023 play-offs before leaving for South Wales a year ago.

However, speculation is led by agents wanting to drum up interest in their clients, as would appear the case here and also with sacked Southampton head coach Russell Martin, who worked with Williams at MK Dons and Swansea previously.

So, for now the search continues - and Brunt, Abella and Myhill will lead Albion into their next game, Saturday lunchtime's trip to Williams' Swansea.

As for Corberan, he takes charge of his first Valencia game tonight - at home to 15-times European champions Real Madrid. 'Buena suerte' with that Carlos!

Image source, Rex Features

West Bromwich Albion's Callum Styles has confirmed his first goal for the club was not a planned training ground move.

Styles scored Albion's second in their 3-1 win over Preston on New Years Day after connecting with a Mikey Johnston corner which was pulled back to the edge of the box before firing home through a flurry of North End defenders.

"I do want to say it's a good training ground routine but it wasn't," the 24-year-old admitted to BBC Radio West Midlands.

"I think it was just he [Johnston] spotted me last minute, I gave him like a little, 'I'm here in space' so do what you want to do.

"I don't think he's meant to whip it as hard as he has but its gone on to my right and I've converted it."

After a relatively slow start to his time at the Hawthorns, Styles has found a new home for himself at left-back and under new interim boss Chris Brunt has been allowed more freedom to get forward and support winger Johnston in attack.

"I was in a lot of space, and I would have preferred it on my left, but I've scored so he's got an assist and I've got a goal, so, happy days," Styles added.