West Brom v Huddersfield preview: Signings or not - Baggies can join the pace-setters

Last week’s victory over Middlesbrough was important. Carlos Corberan’s side extended the fine home form, saw off a side perhaps expected to be a rival, positioned the club well in the early league table and filled the cup half-full generally, rather than empty.

The very same can be said for the importance of tomorrow’s visit of Huddersfield Town, albeit for different reasons.

Neil Warnock’s side are struggling early on and, like Boro, remain winless. Although, unlike Boro, many perhaps would have predicted another season of struggle for the Terriers.

Albion will rightly enter the clash favourites against one of Corberan’s former employers and there will be an expectation to deliver.

It is a notable fixture, too, for coming just before a first international break of the new campaign. The Baggies will want to send their home faithful away feeling positive and optimistic for the two-week break.

There is also tonight’s deadline factor. How successful, or not, Corberan and Ian Pearce are before 11pm tonight could well determine the pre-match mood around The Hawthorns.

The head coach last weekend made clear his wish of another two additions before the deadline. He went as far to stress Albion’s season relies on them.

That mood around the stadium will turn to one of protest in the 12th minute as up to 10,000 posters will be held aloft from all four stands at The Hawthorns. Paperwork featuring the words ‘FOR SALE – FULL SALE’ will be distributed by volunteers from the Action for Albion pressure group.

This fixture was chosen by the group as a ‘line in the sand’ moment once the transfer window had closed. One member of Corberan’s squad pushing for a first Albion start is Brighton loanee Jeremy Sarmiento, one of just two new recruits so far.

The 21-year-old Ecuadorian is fit to start and netted his first professional goal from the bench against Boro last week and there has been fanfare for his inclusion from the off. The attacker said: “I had a big injury with my metatarsal (at the end of last season). It’s all about gaining minutes, getting my physical strength and getting my first start.

“I want to help with the team by playing more minutes, but I spoke to the coach and he said he wanted to take it bit by bit. It’s up to me now to keep doing the hard work. I’m hoping to be knocking on doors to get my first start, which I’ll be buzzing for.

“I want to show the fans I can earn my spot in the first team.”

Corberan, though, was less impressed despite the goal and admitted he wants to see more.

“Jeremy scored a very good goal in a poor game from him in terms of performance,” the head coach said in the wake of the Boro win.

“I still don’t see the player I want to see. He knows, and he’ll be focused to improve, but the goal for me can bring confidence sometimes the player needs.

“I liked that the team, with (Nathaniel) Chalobah in the pitch, kept finding ways to show personality and to react a magic goal that Sarmiento scored.

“In the previous actions...he didn’t start well the game, but he finished better the game.”