“They are going well in the championship, It’s Going to be a tough game”- Gary O’Neil admits one major advantage West Brom have as he speaks out ahead of Black Country derby tie
Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has pinpointed the home form of Carlos Corberan’s West Brom side as a major advantage and a worry ahead of the Black Country derby in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
The Baggies are sitting in fifth place in the Championship, three points inside the playoff spots, having won 13 of their 28 league matches this season. They are also fifth in the home form leaderboard, facing defeat in just two of their home fixtures so far.
With the fifth-best home form in the division, O’Neil is wary of facing West Brom at The Hawthorns on Sunday 28 January and initially saw the tie as a “tough” draw.
Speaking in a press conference on Thursday (25 January), transcribed by the club’s official website, he said: “We watched the draw and my initial thoughts were tough draw. It’s Going to be a tough game. They’re going well in the Championship and that’s mainly due to their home form.
“Their home form has been better than their away form, so my first thoughts were tough game, good coach, good players there, and then excited to be involved in a game that has some extra significance to the area and to the fan base.”
As O’Neil states, West Brom’s home form is considerably better than their away form. Away from the comforts of The Hawthorns, Corberan’s side are ranked 16th in the division, winning just 15 points from a possible 42.
Based on these statistics, West Brom have a very good chance of defeating Wolves at home, especially considering their 11 points from 11 away matches in the Premier League.
However, it seems vital that the Baggies get the deal done at home, rather than hold out for a replay at Molineux Stadium. Their chances of pulling off a victory against a decent first-division side will rapidly diminish.
Of course, no one can predict quite what will happen in the Black Country derby, the first in front of fans for many years. The FA Cup is full of surprises too, with the magic very much still alive.
