West Brom’s Play-Off Hopes Crumble as Injury Crisis Deepens Ahead of Watford Showdown

West Bromwich Albion’s fading push for a Championship play-off spot has been dealt another severe blow, with manager Tony Mowbray confirming that Tammer Bany and Ousmane Diakite are both set to miss this weekend’s clash with Watford.

The news comes at a disastrous time for the Baggies, who have now slipped to eighth place following three straight defeats and sit five points off the top six with just five games remaining.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road, Mowbray detailed the extent of his growing injury list. Diakite has sustained an ankle ligament injury during training, the result of a “challenge with a bit more force,” while Bany has undergone a scan on a hamstring issue and remains a doubt.

Adding to the uncertainty is Torbjorn Heggem, who hasn’t trained all week. Mowbray was blunt about the stakes: “He has to train Friday, or he won’t play.”

On a slightly brighter note, Isaac Price is confirmed fit and available, which will help soften the blow of Jayson Molumby’s suspension for the Watford clash.

Nightmare Timing for West Brom

There’s never a good time for an injury crisis, but this moment feels particularly cruel. West Brom are spiralling at the worst possible time, and now key players are dropping out when their experience and resilience are needed most. Mowbray’s side must now regroup quickly or risk missing the play-offs altogether, a collapse that would undo months of promising work earlier in the season.

Adam Armstrong, Alex Mowatt, and Kyle Bartley are now expected to take on added responsibility through the spine of the team. If West Brom fail to secure three points against Watford, their already-slim play-off chances could vanish entirely.

History Repeating for Mowbray?

This situation echoes Mowbray’s 2023 campaign with Sunderland, when he steered an injury-hit squad into the play-offs despite long odds. Then, as now, injuries left him with a depleted roster, but he found a way to rally his team down the stretch.

That kind of resolve will be needed once again—perhaps even more so this time around. Anything short of victory on Saturday, and West Brom’s play-off dreams could be dead in the water.

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