Coventry City v West Brom: No free hit at leaders as Baggies enter crucial week

The prospect of what lay ahead on the other side of the November break was not lost on anybody of a Baggies persuasion.

The trip to freescoring early runaway Championship leaders Coventry is without doubt the toughest fixture in the division at the moment.

And, just days later, a home clash under the light against Birmingham. Albion versus Blues is not traditionally the most heated West Midlands derby, but the second city side have become noisy neighbours in recent years and will relish making a racket at The Hawthorns. Home fans will relish it less so.

None of that will be the case for head coach Ryan Mason, though. He will stress calm within the club in his Friday afternoon press conference ahead of the Coventry trip and see it as an opportunity to halt the Sky Blues' progress.

There has been some discourse about whether the clash at the CBS Arena on Saturday lunchtime comes as a free hit for the visitors given Frank Lampard's side have already pocketed 13 more points than Albion and scored comfortably more than double the goals.

That, clearly, is nonsense. Regardless of the league table no game anywhere in the Championship can be categorised in that way for Albion.

There is quite rightly no way Mason and his troops would get away without a hiding from supporters if travelling Baggies fans were subjected to a dismal, limp defeat of several goals.

Having said that, the away attendance in Coventry will be interesting given the hosts' scandalous pricing structure and the decision from many that they cannot justify it. There will be more empty seats in the away end than there has been in recent years.

Albion fans will accept a defeat against Lampard's leaders - for whom a certain Brandon Thomas-Asante has fired himself to the top of the division's scoring charts.

Most supporters would shake your hand and run with a point if offered at this stage.

All the travelling supporters crave is energy, fight and an intent to score. If that is on offer they will take a narrow defeat.

It does not translate to a free hit, and a lifeless two or three-nil or worse will sting, particularly given recent form.

All focus will be on Coventry, but next Wednesday's home clash with Blues will bring more of a pressure of expectancy on to Albion players. That will be a new and very different challenge to Saturday.

Mason will be relieved he should have more options to call from in terms of selection, with midfield pair Jayson Molumby and Toby Collyer expected to be available having returned as substitutes for the Oxford win last time out.

Defender Chris Mepham was unavailable to start Albion's last two fixtures but did play the last 10 minutes from the bench for Wales on Tuesday night and the likelihood is he will be confirmed as fit to start, if Mason requires.

Winger Jed Wallace and defender George Campbell both spent the international break injured.