West Brom strike duo winning fitness race

West Brom are set for a huge boost ahead of Saturday's clash with Queens Park Rangers with strike pair Saido Berahino and Brown Ideye winning their fitness battles.

Both Berahino and Ideye are on course to face second-bottom Rangers in the first of two vital back-to-back Premier League home games for the Baggies.

Boss Tony Pulis's decision to withdraw the duo from international duty seems set to be vindicated with his first-choice strikers making encouraging progress in their rehabilitation.

They now appear poised to start together as Pulis's men look to end any lingering relegation fears by collecting wins against Rangers and Leicester – the Premier League's current bottom two.

Ideye was forced to abandon plans for his long-awaited Nigeria comeback after a knee injury suffered in the Baggies' victory against Stoke.

The £10m club-record signing missed Albion's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City but is now on course to be fit by the weekend.

Berahino pulled out of the England Under-21s squad for their friendlies against Czech Republic and Germany in order to rest a foot injury.

Like Ideye, Berahino has been playing in recent weeks with painkilling injections but he too is expected to return to training in time to start against the Rs.

Albion have so far suffered no ill-effects from internationals, with Northern Ireland trio Gareth McAuley, Chris Baird and Chris Brunt and Scotland duo Darren Fletcher and James Morrison all returning fit from their national teams.

Brunt and midfielder Claudio Yacob are both available again after suspension.

Youssouf Mulumbu is yet to return from DR Congo duty while winger Callum McManaman remains a major doubt with a foot problem.

Pulis must also replace the suspended Craig Dawson at right-back.

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