West Bromwich Albion hoping for injury boost

Nov 21 2007 By Paul Berry, Birmingham Mail

WEST Bromwich Albion are poised for an added Christmas bonus with no fewer than FOUR of their injured stars aiming for a potential festive return.

The Baggies have already revealed that initial diagnoses on the knee injuries suffered by Kevin Phillips, Martin Albrechtsen and James Morrison were better than expected, and Neil Clement is now also hoping to be available again, "in weeks rather than months".

Although boss Tony Mowbray is refusing to set any timescales on their potential returns, it certainly leaves the door open for some if not all to return to the ranks for the punishing Christmas schedule.

"We're still waiting for the proper medical assurances on Kevin but he's pretty positive around the place," said Mowbray. "He'll be having that proper check with a consultant but he's been putting bits of weight and pressure on his knee and doing a bit of balancing work because with an injury like this it's all about the stability of the knee rather than the strength of it.

"He's working hard in the gym and the signs are positive. Hopefully we might get those medical assurances over the next few days and he'll be able to pick up his training."

Albrechtsen, like Phillips, suffered a knee injury in the draw with Sheffield Wednesday a fortnight ago before James Morrison was stretchered off in the first half at Coventry.

But again the absences for both appear to be around the four to six week period.

"The scans with both Albrechtsen and Morrison have been positive so again it should be weeks rather than months," added Mowbray. "That's good news, because there's always the potential of knee injuries being serious because of the speed the modern game is played."

Clement hasn't been seen in action since the Carling Cup victory at Peterborough in August, but having undergone an arthroscopy and seen a consultant is now in "positive mood" according to Mowbray.

Again, that could spell an imminent return to training with a view to being available in around a month's time.