Express & Star

Tony Mowbray makes "hopeful" claim after West Brom's injury confirmation

Albion are hopeful left-back Callum Styles can make a return from a calf strain on the other side of the international break.

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The Baggies are next in action at Norwich on March 29 following a disappointing home draw against Hull City to sign off for the fortnight break.

Styles was unavailable for the clash after MRI results obtained on Friday night confirmed the muscle issue the full-back felt after the midweek draw at Burnley.

Styles, 24, was recalled by Hungary last week after missing a few squads but will not jet out to join his international colleagues for crunch Nations League promotion-relegation clashes against Turkey.

Mowbray said: "He's got a calf strain, he had an MRI scan and he's got a strain so he won't be going with his country.

"We'll hope to try to get him ready for two weeks' time. We'll wait and see."

Styles has been a regular in Albion's starting line-up since November in his debut campaign for the club having checked in on a four-year deal from Barnsley last summer.

Fellow defender Torbjorn Heggem, naturally a centre-back, returned to the left-back role he operated at the beginning of the campaign for the clash against Hull.

Mowbray sees Heggem as a central defender despite his capabilities on the left and felt Albion missed Styles at The Hawthorns, where the hosts were pegged back with 10 minutes left after grabbing what appeared the crucial breakthrough earlier in the second half through Isaac Price's first goal for the club.

"I think he's been one of our best players to be honest, I would suggest," Mowbray added of Styles. "The consistency he brings week in week out.

"He understands his role. Sometimes we ask him to roll inside and play central midfield, when we push him a midfielder higher to play in the box.

"He's an intelligent footballer, he's very talented, I think he was a loss. Heggem's big and strong and can do that job but he doesn't bring the craft and guile that Styles would bring at left-back.

"Heggem is a centre-half in my view. We should look forward in games, you'd like to go in with your strongest XI, but that's why you have substitutes, players fighting to get in the line-up."

Striker Devante Cole missed out against Hull due to suffering from flu. Tammer Bany is recovering from a minor groin issue.