Image source, Getty Images

Aleksandar Mitrovic gets a sniff of a chance as he's picked out on the edge of the box without pressure from the West Brom defence.

He takes his time to make a decision what to do with the ball, but rather than wrap his foot round it to test Sam Johnstone, he tries an intricate pass to Ivan Cavaleiro which West Brom are able to scramble back and clear.

The Serb was being willed to get a shot away there. Too much time and too many options, it seems.

Josh Onomah dishing out a foul to Matheus Pereira, just hacking the West Brom dangerman.

The same player tries to scoop the resulting free-kick into the Fulham penalty area but it's cleared by Michael Hector.

Fulham put the ball into the left channel for Onomah to hare after again but alas, West Brom shuffle across and snuff out the chance.

Both teams cancelling each other out so far.

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Josh Onomah was slaloming his way through the West Brom defence but was eventually crowded out by the sheer weight of numbers at the back.

The Fulham man just couldn't find support after a solo run.

West Brom press in defence and then get bodies moving forward on the attack, they look invigorated. What was in that water?

The perils of defending like this for Fulham are evident, as they keep dropping deeper and deeper and there's no one to hit as an 'outlet'.

Even Aleksandar Mitrovic was back grafting before. Sit him on the half-way line and just pick him out on the break.

West Brom dictating the pace now.

West Brom float a ball into the Fulham box from a free-kick and Tim Ream has to turn it behind for a corner.

Anthony Knockaert is the man who hoists it clear, but Fulham have no-one forward to capitalise.

Scott Parker just screwed his face while deep in conversation, I imagine he was just telling his players to dig in and get amongst West Brom. Get a bit 'nastier' maybe. It was a look that seemed to say - time to get stuck in.

The Baggies just got in down the right and Dara O'Shea forces Marek Rodak to come to his near post and push it behind with a dangerous cross.

Michael Hector nodded away a corner and then Aleksandar Mitrovic got back to do the same. Concerted pressure here from the home side post drinks break.

Image source, PA Media

Nick Bruzon: Well this is horrible. The strange nature of football rivalry. Sitting here in Brentford, hoping for a home defeat at The Hawthorns. Definitely not an away win. But if it happens, things could get exciting at Griffin Park...

If Albion lose and Brentford beat Preston tomorrow, the Bees will go second on goal difference with two matches remaining...

Fulham go close! Anthony Knockaert digs the ball out of his feet, shimmies to gain a yard and curls a brilliant inswinging cross into the West Brom box.

Ivan Cavaleiro nods it back in to the middle - it's so tempting - however, Ahmed Hegazi did brilliantly to get to it first and shut down the effort.

Other than that, Fulham were frustrated by blanket defence, as West Brom dig in and keep the spaces down to a minimum.

Drinks break time.

West Brom zip the ball about on the edge of the Fulham box, there's good movement across the forward line but they're playing in front of a wall of red shirts (the Cottagers' away kit) and eventually a loose pass results in a free-kick.

Frustration from Albion captain Jake Livermore, who trots away ruefully.

While we gave this game the big build-up with all the talent involved, when it's a game of such importance, you feel the two teams are more worried about not making mistakes than they are making the big breakthrough.

Once we get out of this 'feeling out' period, hopefully we'll get some blood and thunder.

Image source, PA Media

Fulham doing much of the prompting at the moment but neither side has had too much time in each other's penalty area.

It's largely been cagey, two teams trying to keep possession and tempt the other side on. But the respective press has been good.

Anthony Knockaert has Sam Johnstone at full-stretch to tip his shot round the post, Fulham going close from the edge of the box.

It was beautifully hit at pace.

Then from the corner, Michael Hector gets to a deep set-piece, pumps his back across goal and another corner comes via a deflection.

Joe Bryan's ball in is eventually cleared but Fulham bare their teeth for the first time.

The list of possible matchwinners is quite mouthwatering.

Anthony Knockaert has skill and cunning, he's Fulham's creative outlet, while there's the Championship's joint top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic up top.

West Brom have the poacher Charlie Austin, the dynamic Matheus Pereira and Grady Diangana providing skill.

He's just provided a bit of work for Fulham keeper Marek Rodak to do, curling a shot from 20 yards out but it was well watched by the Slovak.

First shot across the bows there from Matheus Pereira, who managed to shuffle a bit of space on the edge of the Fulham box, but it was quickly shut down and blocked.

Suffocating stuff from the visitors, who have gone 'big' in their attacking line-up today.

Scott Parker coolly pacing his technical area. Looking very dapper.

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Fulham love a bit of possession. I've seen games where the two centre-halves had probably had more ball than anyone else and they're happy to roll it about at the back, trying to pull West Brom out of shape and exploit it.

Plenty of press from the Baggies in return. It will be a little chess-like I envisage in the early part of this one.

Fluffy clouds hover above The Hawthorns, with little spots of blue just about poking through the slightly overcast sky.

We've had players taking the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Fulham kick us off.

Image source, Rex Features

So here we are, in mid-July - when feasibly we should all be sat on a beach somewhere relaxing and pondering the return of the beautiful game - but instead we're building up for one of the biggest matches of the season so far right at the tail-end of a thrilling campaign.

Empty stands, no fans, but big dollops of tension. It is hanging over the two teams like a fog. The team that can clear their way through that pressure will come away with the spoils.

BBC local radio

Our colleagues at BBC Radio WM and BBC Radio London are in position tonight for commentary, and if you live in the transmission areas of either of those stations, you'll be able to tune in.

Unfortunately, because of broadcasting rights restrictions, we can't bring them to you here.

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This is how it looks at the top of the Championship, with Leeds pulling six points clear of being caught for automatic promotion.

So tonight, with just just three points keeping West Brom from a red-hot Brentford, and only four from Fulham, victory would be most timely.

Conversely, Fulham can do their west London neighbours a favour too by denting the Baggies' bid.

Oh how nicely poised this is.

Image source, Rex Features

Fulham's form post restart has recovered impressively after back-to-back defeats against promotion rivals Brentford and Leeds, with four straight wins booking them a play-off spot.

Cardiff were the latest side to feel their attacking prowess in Friday's 2-0 win, having edged a six-pointer with Nottingham Forest just days before, and boss Scott Parker is keen for his side to go one better than the end-of-season knockout route.

"To get to the play-offs like we have, to perform as we have this year, I feel that we’ve done very, very well," Parker said after the win at Cardiff on Friday.

“But now there’s a big game for us on Tuesday. Four points is the gap, albeit we know they have that game in hand.

“But we’ll go there hoping to get a result to try to keep the pressure on."