Kick-off: 1800, 16/09/2020
Stadium: The Hawthorns
TV: Sky Sports
Harrogate made a dream start to life in the EFL at the weekend and will now be eyeing a cup upset at Premier League new boys West Brom.
Town were promoted through the National League play-offs last month and have started the new season with four successive away games in three different competitions.
They have found the net in the first three of those games – scoring seven goals in trips to Tranmere, Grimsby and Southend – and both teams to score at 6/5 is our opening West Brom vs Harrogate prediction.
A Look At West Bromwich Albion’s Betting Odds
The focus for West Brom this season will be Premier League survival and the size of the task facing them was underlined by a 3-0 defeat at home to Leicester at the weekend.
Albion, returning to the top flight after two years, impressed in a goalless first half but wilted once they fell behind to Timothy Castagne’s debut goal before Jamie Vardy’s double from the penalty spot ensured a miserable start for the Baggies.
“The message will be to remain upbeat. It is just one game and Leicester are a good team,” said boss Slaven Bilic.
“We’re going to work on it. We’ve been punished for not raising the levels. Leicester showed their class. They are a good team. We knew that before the game.
“I wanted to win this game and we approached this game this way. I was delighted with how positive we were, how we passed the ball and how we were getting in good situations.”
Keeping clean sheets was a problem last season for West Brom, who only managed five at The Hawthorns despite securing automatic promotion.
They also only beat Luton and Mansfield at home by one goal in this competition two years ago, while they fell at the first hurdle at home to Millwall last season.
That suggests backing the visitors with a two-goal start on the handicap at 91/100 is worth adding to our picks from the West Brom vs Harrogate odds.
Last West Brom line-up: Johnstone, Furlong, Gibbs, Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea, Livermore, Diangana, Sawyers, Robinson, Pereira.
A Look At Harrogate Town’s Betting Odds
Harrogate will be on a high after a 4-0 thrashing of Southend on their Football League debut.
They edged past Tranmere on penalties in the first round of the EFL Cup after a 1-1 draw at Prenton Park, which was followed by a 2-2 draw at Grimsby in the EFL Trophy thanks to two late goals.
Team spirit is clearly not a problem and Harrogate can give West Brom a serious test if the Baggies are not on top form.
Town boss Simon Weaver said after the Southend game: “There were a few nerves early on but once we got the first goal we settled down and it was a true reflection of how the group can perform.
“But no-one moans here and I think that’s quite refreshing in modern-day football. They put in a real shift and hopefully this is a real confidence booster.”
Albion’s extra quality should give them the edge in the end, though, so the last of our West Brom vs Harrogate betting tips is a 2-1 home win at 8/1.
Last Harrogate line-up: Cracknell, Fallowfield, Smith, Burrell, Hall, Falkingham, Thomson, Kerry, Beck, Martin, Muldoon.
Additional stats
Last result:
WEST BROM 0-3 Leicester
Southend 0-4 HARROGATE – Jack Muldoon (2), Lloyd Kerry, Aaron Martin
Head-to-head: N/A
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