Express & Star

Tony Mowbray and West Brom receive double defensive boost

Kyle Bartley will return to Albion's squad at Plymouth on Saturday - with long-term absentee Semi Ajayi nearing a comeback.

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Central defender Bartley, 33, has not featured since New Year's Day owing to a calf injury but has trained in full this week and will travel with Tony Mowbray's squad to Devon on Friday.

Vice-captain Bartley is unlikely to start against the Championship's basement boys at Home Park, with Mason Holgate and Torbjorn Heggem set to get the nod again.

Another of Albion's centre-backs, Ajayi, is nearing a return to contention ahead of schedule.

The Nigerian, 31, has not played since October 26 when he suffered a serious injury to his hamstring which required surgery. He was originally billed as a potential return to action in March, but has also trained with his team-mates.

Speaking at his pre-Plymouth press conference on Thursday afternoon, Mowbray said: "Big Kyle has now been training the last three days and so has big Semi, even though I think he's 10 days or a fortnight away. Kyle will be travelling with the squad and be involved at the weekend."

Mowbray also gave an update on striker Daryl Dike, who is nearing 12 months since he last kicked a ball competitively.

Dike has been back in team training for more than a week but his load is still being managed by Albion medical staff, which is headed up by director of medical Tony Strudwick.

The striker is on his way back from a second serious Achilles injury and his return was delayed by a hamstring issue in October.

Mowbray has revealed on a couple of occasions the striker is champing at the bit to return and Dike even said to the head coach this week he believes he could be fit to face Sheffield Wednesday at The Hawthorns on Saturday week (February 8).

But Albion's new boss said that is almost certainly unrealistic and that he will be guided by medical advice. Mowbray's preference is the American features for the under-21s as a final tester prior to a senior comeback.

The Baggies have a busy period at first-team and under-21 level from next weekend. Mowbray's men face Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn and Millwall in the space of a week and during that run Richard Beale's under-21s have fixtures on consecutive Mondays, February 10 and 17, the latter a derby away to Wolves in Kidderminster.

"I asked him the other day, what he thought, and he said he'd be ready for Sheffield Wednesday and I thought 'wow - when is that?'" Mowbray said of Dike.

"I think that's a footballer who hasn't discussed it with the medical staff... my view is that he needs to play a practice match or games on a big pitch. It's alright doing little drills in boxes but when you play on a big pitch and someone knocks it over the top and you have to spring 60 metres, and then get back and not be offside it's slightly different. Sometimes footballers who have been out a long time are just desperate to play.

"I would just trust the medical department, Tony Strudwick, to know when he's ready. I always like them to play (youth games), get through 90 minutes, have the odd sprint with the centre-half, just so you're ready."

Albion otherwise travel to Devon to face Plymouth (12.30pm) with Jayson Molumby back in the fold after illness and Grady Diangana fine to feature after hobbling off with a twisted ankle against Portsmouth last weekend.