Albion’s Chris Brunt has backed fellow winger Jerome Thomas to give the Baggies an injection of energy in his return from suspension on Saturday.

Thomas is set to return against Derby County for his first game in three weeks after serving a five-match ban.

Brunt confirms the entire squad are looking forward to welcoming the exciting wide man back into the fray.

He said: “Jerome gives us something different, something we don’t naturally have when he is not there. Having said that, the lads coped pretty well without him until the second-half of the game on Sunday at Bristol City.

“But there is no doubt it’s a bit harder for the team to play when he’s not there and we have missed him, because he is a big character around the club as well.

“The lads have given him a bit of stick in the last couple of weeks about having a rest when we all could probably have done with one.

“On a serious note, hopefully it will work for us. He can come back recharged and give us a little bit of a boost, because there’s no doubt a few of the lads are tired after playing so many games recently.”

Thomas was handed a four-match ban for his second red card of the season in the closing stages of the win at Plymouth.

An extra game was added after he was charged with violent conduct for his part in a fracas the followed his sending-off.

But Brunt reckons his team-mates understand the frustration that led to his dismissal.

He said: “Jerome is a temperamental player. He was kicked from pillar to post on that afternoon at Plymouth and in the end it probably got a bit too much for him.”

Albion will return to League action against the Rams on the back of Sunday’s defeat at Bristol City that ended their nine-game unbeaten run.

Brunt, who has played 30 club matches already this season, admitted the hectic fixture list had caught up with the team at Ashton Gate.

The Northern Ireland international said: “There was a massive difference between the first half and the second-half. We started pretty well and we felt comfortable in the first half.

“I thought we played reasonably well and we deserved our goal. The second-half was totally different, but we can’t quite put our finger on why that was.

“We were sloppy with our final ball in the second half and our execution just wasn’t as good as it had been. Their first goal from a set-piece was a bit lucky, because it took a couple of deflections and dropped straight to Chris Iwelumo’s feet and then we were all disappointed with the second goal we conceded.

“I think it’s true to say we ran out of steam in that second-half and we have played a lot of games recently. I know that’s been the same for a lot of clubs but we have had a lot of injuries and suspensions and that has meant we have used the same players in most of the games.

“That’s not an excuse for the way we played, but it might be an explanation. There’s nothing we can do about it but hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will start to get a few of our big players back.

“Until then we just have to get our heads down and get on with it, which, to be fair, we had done well until Bristol City.”