Carlos Corberan shuts down concerns over West Brom squad

Corberan's side head into Saturday's final match of the regular Championship campaign needing just a point to secure a play-off place – with experience on their side.

The Baggies have the oldest average age in the second tier this season. The squad's average age is 27.8 years with that of the first XI used exactly 28 years.

Corberan, who sees several senior players come to an end of their deals at The Hawthorns this summer, believes there is a value in experience but that it offers zero guarantees.

He said: "I am someone who is not very focused on the age of players, I am more focused on the skills and quality of players. I think players with quality can face different situations.

"It's true that if you have lived something previously it can help you to know (about it) from previous experience, but it doesn't guarantee anything either.

"Real Madrid the other day beat Manchester City, (Luka) Modric and (Toni) Kroos were playing, experienced players, this experience is an advantage, but then you see the keeper, probably Madrid's best player, and the first time he was playing these type of games.

"You can think the experience can help, but it was probably the first round of penalties (Andriy) Lunin (Madrid goalkeeper) was playing in a massive tournament and he was excellent. What does it mean? That nobody knows, you can understand both things."

Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday, both strugglers, Saturday's visitors Preston and fellow play-off battlers Norwich make up the top five in that particular department with Sunderland's youthful squad down at just 22.4 years. The other fledgling squads in the division with average ages under 25 are Leeds, Blackburn and Plymouth.

Eleven members of the Baggies' senior squad are aged 30 and above, with Erik Pieters (35), Martin Kelly (34), Yann M'Vila and Matt Phillips (both 33) leading the way. That quartet are out of contract this summer, as are Kyle Bartley (32) and Adam Reach (31).

Injuries to Daryl Dike and Jayson Molumby have meant just academy graduate Tom Fellows, 20, and loanee Mikey Johnston, who recently turned 25, have been a regular for Albion in their early 20s.