Albion could be without key duo Graham Dorrans and Roman Bednar as they take on in-form Sheffield United at The Hawthorns tomorrow.

The Baggies will attempt to get back to winning ways in the League at home against a Blades team who have lost just once in 11 Championship matches.

But Roberto Di Matteo could be without midfield star Dorrans and attacking spearhead Bednar after both picked up injuries in Tuesday’s bruising draw at Ipswich.

Winger Chris Brunt also left Portman Road with stitches in a head wound but he should be fit to face Kevin Blackwell’s team.

Head coach Roberto Di Matteo said: “Roman has got a big bruise on his foot from the other night.

“And we’ve sent Dorrans for a scan as well because he’s got a problem with his hip flexor.

“We’re still awaiting the results. We’ll have to wait to assess them again and see how much they improve and what the problem is.

“They would be a loss to us because they are important players for us.

“Chris Brunt needed a stitch, so we’re a bit wounded.”

Tomorrow’s match will see Di Matteo’s men lock horns with one of the Championship’s most red-hot sides, with United having beaten Reading 3-0 on Tuesday to move into the play-off zone.

Middlesbrough and Cardiff also pulled off big wins as the Baggies were rescuing a last-gasp draw at Ipswich.

And Di Matteo believes the evening’s events were further evidence of the tight nature of the division.

“I’ve said all along I don’t think it is just three teams,” said the Italian.

“There is going to be some more surprises in the coming weeks.

“Unless a team wins all their remaining games, which is very difficult and the probability of that is low, I would expect more teams to be in the mix for automatic promotion.

“You can see it going down to the last few games.

“Sheffield United been on a good run lately. It’s a tough game for us.

“They’re very physical and very efficient as well.

“I went to see them against Middlesbrough and there wasn’t much between the two teams.

“Sheffield United just had that edge to win the game.

“I remember from the first game at Bramall Lane that it was a tough physical battle.”

While United have improved their form at home and away, the Baggies have stuttered on home soil in recent weeks.

However, they beat Newcastle at The Hawthorns in the FA Cup last weekend and Di Matteo is hoping the fourth-round triumph will give his side an injection of confidence.

“That was a good performance from us and we’ve been playing well lately,” he said.

“The players are up for it and showed the kind of character, responsibility and personality in the same way at home as we play away from home.

“I wouldn’t say there is one indicator or one factor in our home form.

“If it was just like that it would be easier to rectify it.

“I think there are a number of reasons and factors you have to look at and make sure they are ready for this home game on Saturday against Sheffield United.

“A win always helps and we won in a good manner as well and played well.

“That is always good for your confidence.”

Brunt, a veteran of the 2008 Championship promotion campaign, agrees with his boss that battle at the top of the table will remain hard-fought.

And he believes the challenge this season is greater than the one that faced Tony Mowbray’s men two years ago.

“It’s a tougher league than it was two years ago,” said the Northern Irishman.

“It seems to get tougher because of the prize at stake. It’s a battle from start to finish because of the financial rewards.

“We’ve shot ourselves in the foot a few times but generally we feel we’ve done alright.

“The Championship is an unpredictable type of League. The last time we were here it looked like we might pull away, then Stoke came into it and strung results together.

“There are always teams who will do that. Cardiff went and won 6-0 at a tough place like Bristol City on Tuesday.

“It’s a crazy league but you finish where you deserve to over 46 games.

“This is looking like an important game. They’re going well and we’ve not done too well at The Hawthorns.

“But we’ve done okay in our last few games, especially against Newcastle.

“We’re playing well so there’s nothing to be afraid of. We know we have the quality. They are physical so we will have to cope with that.

“It was important to get a good result against Newcastle last week.

“Newcastle rested a few players and obviously had a player sent off.

“But it’s been well documented that we’ve not been playing too well at The Hawthorns so we needed to get a result.

“The sending off changed the game but we were comfortable. We’ve been playing well apart from the Forest game.

“We’ve done okay since Christmas, even if we haven’t got the points to go with performances. It’s important we turn those performances into results.

“Teams come to The Hawthorns to make it difficult for us. Forest are a good side and showed that.

“Perhaps we’ve lacked ideas a little bit at home. In the Forest game nothing went right for us so we will draw a line under that.

“But then Forest came to us, put five men in midfield and we coped well. Hopefully that will be a blip and we can move on because we still have a lot more games at home.”