Analysis: Michael Dawson on the promoted teams - West Brom

As we count the hours to the start of the Premier League this weekend, we turned to Michael Dawson, our legendary former defender and occasional captain between 2005-2014, for his insight into the three teams promoted from the Championship who we will face in 2020/21 - Fulham, West Brom and champions Leeds United.

Ever-popular, ‘Daws’, who proudly led us to a 1-0 win against Milan in the San Siro in the Champions League in 2011, knows the Championship inside-out having played 67 times for Hull and Forest in the last three seasons.

In the second part of three, Michael turns his attention to West Brom, who finished runners-up to secure promotion under Slaven Bilic.

West Brom

West Brom topped the Championship after losing just one of their first 24 matches, and were never out of the top two - but it might have been different, as defeat in their penultimate game against Huddersfield meant Brentford could have pipped them to automatic promotion. Brentford didn't capitalise, and despite failing to win any of their last four games, West Brom made it up in second behind Leeds.

Daws: "West Brom ended up scrambling over the line in the end but going into lockdown, they were top and six points clear of the play-off places. They came under a lot of pressure mainly due to Brentford’s form after the return. Their strength in depth meant they were always going to be candidates to finish in the top two. They kept the majority of the players after relegation from the Premier League in 2017/18.

"We (Forest) played them on the first day of the season, lost 2-1 and then drew with them at the Hawthorns, so we had two good games against them. Slaven Bilic is obviously a good manager and they have some really good players. Just look at the attacking force of Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore, they spent big money on those two, Robson-Kanu is there, Matt Phillips, Jake Livermore, Kamil Grosicki from Hull, they’ve experience as well.

"They will be another team who will look to stay up. Okay, it’s tough when you’ve just been promoted, but they are another team who will be confident with the addition of a few players, although I don’t think they have to change it drastically. They are a very attacking team and, like Fulham, try to keep possession and pass the ball. They are strong physically up top, get the ball down the flanks, sometimes a bit more direct, but always look to play."

One to watch

Daws: "There wasn’t a stand-out player for me, as such, they are solid, a unit, more of a collective. Jake Livermore in the centre of the park, very strong, physical, keeps them ticking over, back four strong, good down the flanks and goals up top, Charlie Austin still knocking them in and depth in attack. They are strong at both ends of the pitch - don’t concede a lot, options up front - and that’s why they went up."