Lewis Cox's predicted West Brom line-up v Swansea: Will Baggies look to make changes for FA Cup?
Life after Ryan Mason kicks off for Albion with a repeat of New Year's Day and a trip to Swansea as the visitors look to avoid an unwanted all-time club record.
Exiting the Cup at the first hurdle in south Wales would mean an 11th straight defeat away from The Hawthorns - which equals the all-time club record set 99 years ago in the 1926/27 season.
That is the only occasion 11 successive away defeats has occurred in the club's 148-year history. Albion lost 11 away league games across two seasons between 1890 and 1891, but these were separated by FA Cup triumphs away to Birmingham St Georges and The Wednesday.
The Baggies may be busy finalising the appointment of Eric Ramsay as new head coach, but there will be shortage of intrigue around the tie - despite the fact Albion's priority of climbing away from 18th in the Championship trumps progress in the knockout competition.
Interim boss James Morrison is set to take the tie for his third game at the helm of Albion after the final two fixtures of last season against Cardiff and Luton following Tony Mowbray's dismissal.
It remains to be seen how strong Morrison and fellow coach Damia Abella decide to line the Baggies up in south Wales.
Albion will want to find some form and certainly will not fancy a club-record to their name. The chances of wholesale changes are highly unlikely. The squad is also relatively light, with some still unavailable.
Midfielder Alex Mowatt (foot) is out. Colleague Jayson Molumby has been rated a doubt with ongoing fitness issues.
