West Bromwich Albion head coach Carlos Corberan has stated that defender Cedric Kipre could return to the squad this weekend to face Stoke City.
The Baggies are eight games unbeaten in the Championship right now but just four of those were victories. Over their past five league outings, Corberan’s men have picked up three draws, dragging them within four points of Norwich City.
On Easter Monday, the West Midlands outfit found themselves 2-0 down in the 66th minute to a revitalised Watford under the guidance of interim boss Tom Cleverley. However, Brandon Thomas-Asante pulled one back late in the game before Darnell Furlong bagged the equaliser in the first minute of stoppage time to clinch a point from the game.
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One man missing from the backline was Kipre. The Ivorian had featured in 31 games straight for West Bromwich Albion before the fixture at The Hawthorns at the beginning of the week when a shoulder injury kept him out of the squad and ended his lengthy streak.
Speaking to club media ahead of Saturday’s game against Stoke, Corberan confirmed that the 28-year-old could have played had he received an injection but the club opted not to go down this route. Nevertheless, the Spanish coach has also revealed that Kipre could be back in the squad this weekend.
“Cedric Kipre still had pain in his shoulder when we played against Watford on Easter Monday,” he said.
“With an injection, he probably could have played, but it made no sense because he still would’ve had pain even with the injection.
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“It was better to reduce the pain and the inflammation and to stabilise the shoulder,” he continued.
“He has been training well with the group and that gives us a lot of confidence in terms of his availability for Saturday’s game at Stoke City.”
Writer’s View
Kipre has made 40 appearances in all competitions for West Bromwich Albion, including 38 from a possible 40 in the Championship, proving his importance to the side this season. His absence was certainly felt at the weekend.
The former Wigan Athletic and Cardiff City defender has arguably been one of the most vital components in Corberan’s system across the 2023/24 campaign and has been a major factor behind the team boasting the third-best defensive record in the second tier. Having Kipre back in the starting lineup on Saturday would be a huge boost for the club.
Deputy Head of Writing
