West Brom waiting on fresh Kyle Bartley scan results

The experienced defender missed his side’s 2-0 Boxing Day success at Bristol City yesterday as head coach Carlos Corberan revealed Bartley had been training with pain that needed looking at.

The 31-year-old is yet to feature since Albion returned to action following the World Cup. He was initially sidelined with a minor thigh problem, with four weeks cited, but the defender was ahead of schedule and returned to training last week, following a brief illness.

“The key is that the first diagnosis of his injury was that he’d be out of the team for four weeks, but he’s feeling more different,” Corberan explained after his side made it six wins in seven.

“Bartley has been pushing himself to come back with the team, but every time he is one step in front and demands more from himself, he feels something which doesn’t allow us to think that he can play, or perform.

“We need to review again the diagnosis, to see if his injury is more, or if it’s disappeared. He started to play a little bit with pain but the fact that he has been trying to reduce, maybe we need to come back to the first initial plan.

“Firstly, the medical staff will do a scan with him tomorrow, depending on the scan we will make a decision.”

Albion were comfortable winners in front of a big away following at Ashton Gate. Matt Phillips netted inside 10 minutes before Brandon Thomas-Asante’s wonderful finish wrapped up the points.