Nice open feel to this so far, as Barnsley's Callum Brittain curls an effort just over from 20 yards.

Am I going to jinx it and say there'll be goals?

No, no I am not.

Adam Oxley
BBC Radio Sheffield

Image source, Getty Images

Barnsley need reinforcements in January, particularly from an attacking perspective. This time last year, Valerien Ismael managed to add Daryl Dike and Carlton Morris to great effect and it’s going to need a similar injection of goals if the Reds are to stand any chance of survival.

The 15 goals scored so far this season is their lowest return at the same stage of any league campaign in the club’s history., external

Barnsley achieved mission improbable under Gerhard Struber to survive against the odds in summer 2020 during Project Restart... who can forget those scenes at Brentford after Clarke Oduor’s late goal?

Many remain from that squad and they need to rekindle the same spirit as they seek to overturn an eight-point gap, or Barnsley will face a third relegation to the third tier in eight years.

Image source, Getty Images

So close to an opener!

Former Barnsley captain Alex Mowatt curls in a free-kick and Cedric Kipre has a run on his man but his header clatters back off the post.

A let-off for Barnsley that.

Barnsley start on the front foot but striker Aaron Leya Iseka can't sort his feet on the edge of the area.

I know I just said this but it really is foggy at Oakwell. More Halloween than Christmas.

Image source, PA Media

We are under way in a very foggy South Yorkshire.

Rob Gurney
BBC Radio WM Sport

West Brom's Chinese owner Guochuan Lai made his first visit to the club in three years this week – very timely from Valerien Ismael’s point of view – apparently displaying support for the Frenchman’s desire to open up more of a pathway to Albion’s academy players, rather than let them be picked off by, amongst others, their rivals from a stone’s throw away, Aston Villa.

It’s understood Lai still wants to sell, but apart from having massively overpaid for the club in the first place, he knows these pandemic-constricted days are just about the worst time to try to part with, what to all intents and purposes was, his vanity project.

So why not at least appear to show some, as yet, hitherto unseen interest, and who knows, some tinkering in the margins might produce the desired effect – promotion – then his asset becomes all the more saleable?

And what of tonight’s return to Oakwell for Ismael? Of course, he nearly produced the fairy-tale ending and almost secured only a second season of Premier League football for Barnsley.

The only way to manage expectations, particularly these days, is to just keep on winning.

If Barnsley fans are looking for a good omen this evening, and you'd imagine they are given their predicament, then it doesn't get much better than this:

West Brom have not won at Oakwell since August 1947, 18 visits ago.

Adam Oxley
BBC Radio Sheffield

There were many at Barnsley – from the board to the club’s supporters - who enjoyed the results and the ride to the play-offs last season under Valerien Ismael, but didn’t really enjoy his direct, pressing style.

I’m sure now, two head coaches further forward, the Reds fans would at least prefer the Frenchman to still be in the Oakwell dugout, irrespective of style.

Markus Schopp was a flop having taken over in the summer, his replacement Poya Asbaghi has spoken well but so far proved underwhelming.

Ismael, unsurprisingly, is likely to receive a mixed reception on his return to South Yorkshire. Taking Barnsley so close to the Premier League has left lasting memories, but like so many players (including former skipper Alex Mowatt who returns with the opposition tonight), coaches and chief executives before, the lure of a “bigger club” proved too much, and that’s what continually stings with Reds supporters.

Image source, Rex Features

Remember, at games with more than 10,000 fans a Covid-19 pass or proof of a negative lateral flow test need to be shown before being let into the ground.

It's going to lead to longer queues at the turnstiles, and many clubs are advising supporters to arrive early.

Rob Gurney
BBC Radio WM Sport

Image source, PA Media

The noise surrounding Valerien Ismael and his methods, in a significant number of Albion fans’ minds, was building to an almost deafening crescendo a few short weeks ago.

The facts didn’t make pleasant reading. Two goals scored in six games; one point gleaned from a possible 15 away from home.

Would the club have to contemplate yet another change of head coach, less than six months into this latest regime, with the top two seemingly sailing off into the sunset?

But back-to-back wins at Coventry, and at home to Reading, have reignited the belief amongst many, that they might be onto something here after all, coupled with inevitable stumbles from Fulham and Bournemouth.

One youngster who’s captivated the Baggies’ supporters recently, and helped to quieten the grumbles, is Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

The 19-year-old from Telford has seamlessly slotted into all three of the positions Ismael has asked him to play – the one he’s used to, right wing-back, and the two he isn’t; central midfield and last weekend left wing-back, when four positive Covid-19 tests led to enforced square-pegs-in-round-holes selections.

He starts on the bench this evening.

Barnsley are without captain and top scorer Cauley Woodrow because of a knee problem, so Aaron Leya Iseka comes in.

West Brom welcome back defenders Matt Clarke, Cedric Kipre and Conor Townsend after Covid-19 ruled all three out of the win over Reading last week.

Image source, Getty Images

It probably hasn't escaped your attention that a large number of games across the Premier League and EFL have been postponed this weekend because of Covid-19 cases.

As it stands, five games are off in the Premier League and 19 are postponed across the three divisions of the EFL.

Here's a couple of stories to keep you across what's been going on over the past few days:

• A quarter of EFL players do not intend to get Covid-19 vaccine
• 'It's a sad situation' - EFL managers react to postponements

Image source, Getty Images

You could forgive some Barnsley fans for wondering what might have been when the opposition manager takes his seat in the dugout this evening.

Valerien Ismael galvanised the relegation-threatened Tykes and turned them into promotion candidates last season with an unlikely run into the play-offs.

However, after defeat by Swansea the Frenchman left to take over at West Brom.

Since then things could scarcely have gone worse for the Oakwell side.

Replacement Markus Schopp was sacked in November and the Tykes have won just two of their 22 league matches this campaign, and scored just 15 goals in the process.

Victory tonight, over a West Brom side who could go second with a big win, seems improbable but it is the season for miracles after all...

Good evening and welcome to live text commentary of Barnsley v West Brom.